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Fuel Cell Technology
- In a typical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, oxygen atoms gain the electrons directly from hydrogen atoms as the reaction proceeds.
- In a hydrogen–oxygen fuel cell, the hydrogen and oxygen are separated, forcing the electrons to move through an external wire to get from hydrogen to oxygen.
- These moving electrons constitute an electrical current, which is used to power the electric motor of a fuel-cell vehicle.
- Fuel cells use the electron-gaining tendency of oxygen and the electron-losing tendency of hydrogen to force electrons to move through a wire, creating the electricity that powers the car.