4.2 Hydrogen–oxygen fuel cells
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28. What reactants does a hydrogen–oxygen fuel cell use to produce electricity?
Hydrogen and oxygen.
29. What is the only chemical product formed by a hydrogen–oxygen fuel cell?
Water.
30. State the advantages of using hydrogen–oxygen fuel cells compared with gasoline/petrol engines in vehicles.
They are quiet in operation, more efficient than internal combustion engines, and produce no harmful pollutants or greenhouse gases at the point of use, only water.
31. State the disadvantages of using hydrogen–oxygen fuel cells compared with gasoline/petrol engines in vehicles.
Fuel cells are expensive to manufacture, hydrogen gas is difficult and dangerous to store (requires high pressure or low temperature), and hydrogen is often currently produced from non-renewable fossil fuels.