Courses
Courses for Kids
Free study material
Offline Centres
More
Store Icon
Store
seo-qna
SearchIcon
banner

A molecule of hydrogen has __________

Answer
VerifiedVerified
408.3k+ views
Hint: hydrogen is a diatomic molecule. Two atoms of hydrogen share their electrons to form a strong covalent bond between the two. It is the lightest molecule in the entire periodic table and the most abundant element in the universe.

Complete answer:
A molecule of hydrogen has $2$ atoms $\left( {{H_2}} \right)$. It is a diatomic molecule. ${H_2}$ is the simplest possible molecule. It consists of two protons and two electrons held together by electrostatic forces. It is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, flammable gas. It is the lightest element in the periodic table. It is a highly flammable gas.
Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe. Hydrogen name means water maker, this name was given after studying the property of hydrogen that it produces water when burned. Hydrogen readily forms covalent compounds with most nonmetallic elements; most of the hydrogen on Earth exists in molecular forms such as water or organic compounds. It is relatively unreactive. This is because of its very strong H-H bond, which has very high dissociation energy. The reactivity of H2 is strongly affected by the presence of metal catalysts.
Hydrogen plays a particularly important role in acid-base reactions because most acid-base reactions involve the exchange of protons between soluble molecules. The use of hydrogen is important in the synthesis of ammonia. It is also consumed as a rocket fuel when combined with oxygen, and as a rocket propellant by nuclear energy. Hydrogen is burnt as a fuel to burn in internal combustion engines.

Note:
Hydrogen does not obey the octet rule in the periodic table. This is because hydrogen can hold a maximum of only two electrons in the valence shell. Hydrogen can act essentially like a metal or a non-metal, depending on the circumstances. This fact is what allows hydrogen to be present in so many different compounds.