a gaseous element, colorless, tasteless, and odorless, the lightest known substance, being fourteen and a half times lighter than air (hence its use in filling balloons), and over eleven thousand times lighter than water. it is very abundant, being an ingredient of water and of many other substances, especially those of animal or vegetable origin. it may by produced in many ways, but is chiefly obtained by the action of acids (as sulphuric) on metals, as zinc, iron, etc. it is very inflammable, and is an ingredient of coal gas and water gas. it is standard of chemical equivalents or combining weights, and also of valence, being the typical monad. symbol h. atomic weight 1.