A Hofmann voltameter is often used as a demonstration of stoichiometric principles, as the two-to-one ratio of the volumes of hydrogen and oxygen gas produced by the apparatus illustrates the chemical formula of water, H2O. However, this is only true if oxygen and hydrogen gases are assumed to be diatomic. If hydrogen gas were monatomic and oxygen diatomic, the gas volume ratio would be 4:1. The volumetric composition of water is the ratio by volume of hydrogen to oxygen present. This value is 2:1 experimentally; this value is determined using Hofmann’s water voltameter.
