What Is Hydrogen?
Hydrogen is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, highly flammable element. As H₂, it is the simplest and most abundant element—making up ~75% of normal matter. Under standard conditions, it forms H₂ (dihydrogen), composed of two atoms bonded covalently.
Diatomic H₂ Characteristics:
- Covalent bond: atoms share electrons.
- Stable and less reactive than free atoms.
- Simple structure: just two atoms.
On Earth, H₂ rarely exists free—it's found combined as water or organic compounds, due to its reactivity and lightness which causes it to escape the atmosphere.