AboutDan Fink Expertise Though my experience is mostly in the fields of electricity, magnetism, and physics, I have a broad science background. My career is in the field of alternative power sources -- solar, wind, water and battery power. But any questions about electricity, magnetism, energy conservation, power generation, electric motors, and even general physics are very welcome--especially from kids. They ask the best questions of all! I pride myself in answering science questions accurately, with ideas for SAFE, easy experiments that kids can perform by themselves--and that let them prove the answers to their own satisfaction. I think science should be fun, and available to everyone, regardless of age.
Experience I have volunteered in our local public schools for 5 years. I currently make presentations at our schools about electricity and magnetism, with a focus on solar, wind, water and other alternative power sources. I try to demonstrate at our schools how easy it is to make electricity, with simple devices using spinning magnets and coils of wire--powered by wind, water, bicycles, gerbils...etc. And of course solar panels! I am the webmaster of Otherpower.com, an alternative energy website. I have lived 10 miles from the nearest power pole for 11 years--I make all my own electricity from scratch with sun, wind and water.
Expert: Dan Fink Date: 12/14/2007 Subject: 6th grade science (chemistry)
Question What is the difference between a bottle of water and a bottle of hydrogen and oxygen?
Answer Hi Daniel -- water is really an amazing substance. Because of the shape of the water molecule, it forms *multiple* hydrogen-oxygen (H-O) bonds. The oxygen atom in one water molecule has two lone pairs of electrons, each of which can form a hydrogen bond with hydrogens on two other water molecules. This then repeats so that every water molecule is hydrogen bonded with up to four other molecules! It makes a bottle of water a sort of interlocking puzzle, where every molecule is tightly bonded to all the molecules around it, in multiple directions.
These incredibly strong, interlocking H-O bonds in water account for its high boiling point, high melting point and high viscosity compared to its relatively low molecular mass. There's nothing else really like water in the natural world!
These interlocking H-O bonds also give us some problems--for example they are so strong that it takes LOTS of energy to break the bonds and reduce water into hydrogen and oxygen...it actually takes more energy to break the bonds than you can get from using the hydrogen later. Which makes hydrogen powered cars a problem--they still need an energy source to break the bonds.
Same thing with trying to MAKE water from a bottle of hydrogen and oxygen! You have to add energy to make water from the 2 atoms, like with a big spark going thru your bottle. Or, you can use a catalyst like platinum to help the molecules bond together with less energy than the big spark.
