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How to Get Electrons From Water

There are several methods for getting electrons from water, including reduction. Since water has a very stable structure it will have to be forced to reduce by adding either extra energy or extra substances to make it give up its electrons. There are two popular ways to accomplish this. In one, electrons are added, causing the water to break down into hydrogen and oxygen gases that are then used to create electricity by way of a fuel cell. In the other, a concentration gradient is created with a good electrolyte so the electrons can then be lead off of electrodes directly.

Things You'll Need

Water
Carbon electrodes
Medium-sized container
Two small containers
Tape
Wire
Solar cell or battery
Filter paper, such as a coffee filter
Electrolyte
Voltmeter

Instructions

Reduction of Water Through Electrolysis
- 1
  Add enough water to fill the medium container three-quarters full, and mix in a small amount of electrolyte, for example table salt. A good rule of thumb is about 1 g of electrolyte per 50 ml of water.
- 2
  Attach two separate wires to both ends of either a battery or a solar cell, and attach those wires' ends on two carbon electrodes. Carbon electrodes are found inside dry cell batteries. They are good to use because they are corrosion resistant.
- 3
  Place the electrodes in the water, using tape on the wires to hold the electrodes in place. The two gases formed are hydrogen and oxygen. Hydrogen gas forms at the cathode (positive terminal) and oxygen gas forms at the anode (negative terminal).
Generating Electrons Through a Concentration Gradient
- 4
  Fill two medium-sized containers completely with water, and mix into one an electrolyte such as table salt.
- 5
  Cut a small strip of filter paper about two inches long and one inch wide. Place one end of the paper into the water and the other end into the electrolyte-enriched water. The filter paper should extend about a quarter of an inch into each liquid and be completely soaked with water across the entire two-inch strip.
- 6
  Place one electrode into each container and connect the voltmeter to each electrode. The voltmeter shows a constant voltage as electrons are moved across the damp filter paper from one container to the other.

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