Final answer:
The student's statement is true; hydrogen does indeed combine with other elements to form various important compounds including water, ammonia, methane, table sugar, hydrogen peroxide, and hydrochloric acid.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that hydrogen combines with other elements to form a variety of compounds such as water (H₂O), ammonia (NH₃), methane (CH₄), table sugar (C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), and hydrochloric acid (HCl) is true. Hydrogen, being the simplest and most abundant element in the universe, actively participates in chemical combinations to produce a vast array of compounds utilized both in nature and human-made processes.
For instance, the essential compound water is formed when hydrogen and oxygen are mixed in a 2:1 ratio resulting in H₂O. This process is known as a chemical reaction. Moreover, when carbon combines with hydrogen in a 1:4 ratio, methane (CH₄) is formed, representing the simplest organic molecule. The versatility of hydrogen in forming compounds is underlined by its ability to also react with oxygen in a 2:2 ratio to create hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), a distinct compound with its own unique properties and uses.