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Re:First water car is already a reality: 1000km of autonomy ... by mojomark on Sunday September 08, 2024 @12:02AM (#41478125)
Trolling [1] - "when someone posts or comments online to 'bait' people, which means deliberately provoking an argument or emotional reaction." [1]

catalyst [2] - "a substance that enables a chemical reaction to proceed at a usually faster rate or under different conditions (as at a lower temperature) than otherwise possible"

1. https://www.esafety.gov.au/young-people/trolling#:~:text=Tro....

2. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/catalyst

I guess I'm missing something. The poster asked a question, I provided an honest response based on my professional experience. I believe this is in the positive collaborarive spirit of HN. I'm just trying to contribute information that may not be readily available elsewhere.

Cheers.

Re:First water car is already a reality: 1000km of autonomy ... by roelschroeven on Monday September 09, 2024 @11:08AM (#41489230)
> catalyst [2] - "a substance that enables a chemical reaction to proceed at a usually faster rate or under different conditions (as at a lower temperature) than otherwise possible"

To split water into hydrogen and oxygen, you need to add energy. It's very well possible that a catalyst can make the process more efficient than simple electrolysis, it can't change the fundamental fact that energy needs to be added for the reaction to occur. A catalyst will decrease the required activation energy, but not the total energy balance.

When you say that the catalyst itself must be 're-energized' or replaced, it sounds like the catalyst is the source of energy. Maybe that's not correct, but then the question remains: where does the energy come from?