Electrochemistry 4: The Hydrogen Fuel Cell

This short video animation takes you through the basics of a hydrogen fuel cell. It explains: The hydrogen gas adheres to platinum catalyst coated onto the surface of a porous anode - subsequently splitting into its atoms and undergoing oxidation. While the protons formed here pass through the electrolyte to the anode, the electrons are forced to make their way there via an external circuit. At the cathode oxygen is reduced in the presence of acid and forms water as the only product. Alternative sources of protons are mentioned and the fuel cell's potential as a clean electrical energy source is raised very briefly.