In the formation of water, why couldn't you take both atoms from each hydrogen and oxygen molecule and put them all together to form H2O2?

Question

wolfe8 · Answer

Welcome to OpenStudy. I'm not sure what you mean by take both atoms etc., but there is such a thing as H2O2. It's called hydrogen peroxide. However I am guessing it doesn't occur naturally but has to be through a man-made process. I might be wrong, but look that compound up. :)

doc.brown · Answer

It takes more energy to make H2O2 from H2 and O2 than it does to make H2O.
Are you ready for Enthalpy of Formation?

anonymous · Answer

naturally water occurs in H2O

jfraser · Answer

water is always ALWAYS $H_2O$. Any combination of hydrogen and oxygen atoms OTHER THAN $H_2O$ isn't water.

I'm guessing the equation you have looks something like:$$H_2 + O_2 \rightarrow H_2O$$which doesn't balance. It looks like one of the oxygens has "disappeared". If you're told you start with hydrogen and oxygen, and you're told you create water, those are the formulas you HAVE TO have. Conservation of mass will allow us to balance the equation so that we maintain the same number of each type of atom on each side of the reaction arrow, but just because oxygen is $O_2$ on one side doesn't mean it is going to stay that way on the other side.

anonymous · Answer

just coz

joannablackwelder · Answer

If you combine H2 and O2 to make H2O2, this is the formation of hydrogen peroxide, not water. Water is H2O.