The Electrolytic Cell
by Connor R.
8th Grade - 2nd Place

Question: Can water (H2O) molecules be split into hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) molecules?

Hypothesis: Water molecules can be split when electricity is run through the electrodes, the water will split into oxygen (at the positive pole) and hydrogen (at the negative pole), having twice as much hydrogen than oxygen.

Discovery: This researcher's hypothesis was correct because the electrolytic cell performed its task of splitting water (H2O) into hydrogen (H) and oxygen (0). The hydrogen collected at the negative pole and the oxygen collected at the positive pole just as this researcher expected. This researcher's hypothesis was also exceeded because this researcher believed there would be twice as many hydrogen atoms than oxygen atoms, but there was more than five times as much hydrogen as oxygen.