Submitted by:

Frenzie Mae V. Rivera

BSMT 4-AN

Fruit Power
INTRODUCTION
Batteries work because of the energy released by a chemical reaction which is then changed into electrical energy or current. Electrical current is caused by the movement of the electrons through a complete circuit and can be used to light a flashlight, sound a bell, turn a motor and many other useful applications. In this science experiment we will learn more about batteries by making our own battery out of fruit to light a light bulb.

OBJECTIVE
Demonstrate how batteries store chemical energy which may be converted to electrical energy

MATERIALS
Lemon Copper Strip Zinc Strip Insulated wire Nail 0.2 Volt LED Wire pliers

ESTIMATED TIME FRAME

1 hour and 20 minutes

PROCEDURE
1. Obtain a copper and zinc strip of about 10 x 50mm each from your local hardware store. Use a hammer and a nail to punch a hole on each end of both metal strips. 2. Then, strip clean the plastic covering of the ends of two 300mm long insulated wires, using wire pliers. 3. Push the copper and zinc plates into the lemon, about 25mm apart, and connect a wire to each of the strips through the holes made earlier.

Source: http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/projects/lemon.html

Submitted by:

Frenzie Mae V. Rivera

BSMT 4-AN

4. Connect the other ends of the wires to each connector of a 0.2 volt LED (obtainable at your local hardware store) and observe how it lights up!

DATA AND OBSERVATIONS

Lemons produce only a very small current (about one milliamp). This is not enough electric current to light a light bulb, thus LED was used for this experiment. Even with multiple lemons, the amount of current flowing through the wire is not enough. Though the voltage is high enough (1.5 volts with two lemons), the current is too weak. The lemon battery is called a voltaic battery, which changes chemical energy to electrical energy. The battery is made up of two different metals (the zinc plate and the copper plate). These are called electrodes, which are the parts of a battery where electric current enters or leaves the battery. The electrodes are placed in a liquid containing an electrolyte, which is a solution that can conduct electricity. In a solution of water and an electrolyte, like the acid in the lemon, an excess of electrons collects on one end of the electrodes. At the same time, electrons are lost from the other electrode.

CONCLUSION
LEDs are designed to work at very low voltages (~ 2V) and low currents. They will be damaged if connected to batteries rated at over 2 volts. LEDs require resistors to control current when used with batteries rated at over 2 volts. Lemon batteries produce low current. It is OK to connect an LED to a lemon battery. The first battery was created in 1799 by Alessandro Volta . Today batteries provide the power for an amazing variety of devices, everything from flashlights to robots, computers, satellites and cars. Inventors and researchers continue to improve the battery, designing batteries that last longer and that are friendly to our environment.

Source: http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/projects/lemon.html

Submitted by:

Frenzie Mae V. Rivera

BSMT 4-AN

Understanding how batteries actually work requires knowledge of chemistry. The most important factor in battery design is the electrical relationship between the two metals used in the battery. Some metals give electrons away while other metals accept extra electrons. Chemists have investigated metals and created an "electric potential" table comparing different metals.

Source: http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/projects/lemon.html