HOW DOES HYDROLYIC OXIDATION PRODUCE HYDROGEN PEROXIDE?

The answer to this question is based on the chemical equation describing the reaction of water and hydrogen peroxide, which is essentially the same as the chemical equation describing the reaction of water and oxygen: In the presence of an acid catalyst €”for example, a few drops of vinegar or lemon juice—the reaction between water and hydrogen peroxide can be dramatically accelerated by this so-called chemical reaction, which is not a chemical reaction at all but only a physical process, which some chemists like to call a mechanical chemical reaction The hydrogen peroxide and water are first mixed together in the presence of a little acid, and the mixture is then vigorously shaken or whipped up As the chemical equation above indicates, the vigorous shaking or whipping of the mixture generates a lot of heat, which serves to accelerate the decomposition of both the hydrogen peroxide and the water In the case of the hydrogen peroxide, the decomposition process generates oxygen gas (O2) and hydrogen peroxide gas (H2O2) In the case of the water, the decomposition process generates oxygen gas (O2) and hydrogen gas (H2) The oxygen and hydrogen gases then combine with the remaining water and the remaining hydrogen peroxide in the mixture to form more hydrogen peroxide, water, and oxygen gas This process of repeatedly combining oxygen gas and hydrogen gas with the relatively small amounts of water and hydrogen peroxide remaining in the original mixture is what produces a lot of hydrogen peroxide, water, and oxygen gas This is what makes the chemical reaction between water and hydrogen peroxide so dramatic and so fast However, this is not the only way to produce hydrogen peroxide, water, and oxygen gas from the mixture Another way to produce the same products involves breaking down the water molecules and the hydrogen peroxide molecules into individual oxygen atoms and individual hydrogen atoms, which are then free to combine with each other This can be accomplished by passing electric current through a common household wire When an electric current is passed through a common household wire, the electric current generates heat, which in turn produces the chemical reaction described above In other words, passing electric current through a common household wire can be used to produce hydrogen peroxide, water, and oxygen gas the same way that vigorous whipping or shaking can be used to produce those same products