Introduction to hydrogen and its properties

Hydrogen is one of the most widely used chemical elements in the world. It is currently being used in many different industries, from chemical and refining to metallurgical, food, glass, and electronics. Because of its light weight and high energy density, hydrogen is also a preferred fuel in space applications, as a clean fuel in fuel cells. This chapter provides a brief overview of hydrogen and its physical and chemical properties. The history of hydrogen and its discovery, electronic structure, position in the periodic table, and its periodic properties are described. The energy density of hydrogen is compared with some of the common hydrocarbons such as natural gas and other liquid fuels such as methanol and ethanol. A few common methods for industrial production of hydrogen and synthesis gas, which is a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, and their uses for the manufacture of variety of chemicals and fuels are highlighted.