Proton-exchange membrane fuel cell
Okay kiddo, have you ever heard of batteries that you use for your toys? They have little cells inside that make electricity when they mix different chemicals together.
Well, a proton-exchange membrane fuel cell is kind of like a battery, but much bigger and more powerful. It makes electricity by using hydrogen and oxygen gas to create a chemical reaction.
The way it works is that hydrogen gas gets pumped into one side of the fuel cell and oxygen gas gets pumped into the other side. Then, the hydrogen gas meets a special material called a catalyst, which helps it break apart into positively charged hydrogen ions (also called protons) and negatively charged electrons.
The protons can move through a thin, special material called a proton-exchange membrane to get to the other side of the fuel cell, while the electrons have to go through an external circuit (like a wire) to get there. As they move through the circuit, the electrons create an electric current that can power all sorts of things - from cars to homes to whole cities!
Finally, on the other side of the fuel cell, the protons and electrons meet up with the oxygen gas and create water and heat as a byproduct. So not only do we get electricity, we also get clean water and a little bit of warmth too.
So that's how a proton-exchange membrane fuel cell works! It's like a really cool battery that creates electricity out of hydrogen and oxygen gas, and produces just water and heat as waste.
Well, a proton-exchange membrane fuel cell is kind of like a battery, but much bigger and more powerful. It makes electricity by using hydrogen and oxygen gas to create a chemical reaction.
The way it works is that hydrogen gas gets pumped into one side of the fuel cell and oxygen gas gets pumped into the other side. Then, the hydrogen gas meets a special material called a catalyst, which helps it break apart into positively charged hydrogen ions (also called protons) and negatively charged electrons.
The protons can move through a thin, special material called a proton-exchange membrane to get to the other side of the fuel cell, while the electrons have to go through an external circuit (like a wire) to get there. As they move through the circuit, the electrons create an electric current that can power all sorts of things - from cars to homes to whole cities!
Finally, on the other side of the fuel cell, the protons and electrons meet up with the oxygen gas and create water and heat as a byproduct. So not only do we get electricity, we also get clean water and a little bit of warmth too.
So that's how a proton-exchange membrane fuel cell works! It's like a really cool battery that creates electricity out of hydrogen and oxygen gas, and produces just water and heat as waste.
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