Lemon Battery

EXPERIENTIAL SCIENCE

making a lemon battery

LESSON PURPOSE

Present science in a fun format

Share the reaction details and vocabulary behind the science

Encourage you to try your own experiments
  • Lemon batteries are constructed by inserting two different metallic objects, for example a galvanized nail and a copper coin, into a lemon. These two objects work as electrodes, causing an electrochemical reaction which generates a small potential difference.
  • After the battery is assembled, a multimeter can be used to check the generated voltage. In order for a more visible effect to be produced, a few lemon cells connected in series can be used to power a standard LED. Flashlight bulbs are generally not used because the lemon battery cannot produce the amount of current required to light such bulbs.
  • Supplies
  • The lemon: A large, fresh, "juicy" lemon works best.
  • The nail: Galvanized nails are coated in zinc.
  • The penny: Any copper coin will work.

    • LEMON BATTERY BASICS
  • Insert a penny into a cut on one side of the lemon. Push a galvanized nail into the other side of the lemon. The nail and penny must not touch.
  • Supplies
  • Electrolyte-Lemon: A large, fresh, "juicy" lemon works best.
  • Electrode 1-Zinc: Galvanized nails are coated in zinc.
  • Electrode2-Copper: Any copper coin (like a penny) will work.
  • This is a single cell of a battery. The zinc nail and the copper penny are called electrodes. The lemon juice is called electrolyte.
  • All batteries have a "+" and "-" terminal. Electric current is a flow of atomic particles called electrons. Certain materials , called conductors, allow electrons to flow through them. Most metals (copper, iron) are good conductors of electricity. Electrons will flow from the "-" electrode of a battery, through a conductor, towards the "+" electrode of a battery. Volts (voltage) is a measure of the force moving the electrons. (High voltage is dangerous!)

    • CREATING THE BATTERY
  • This is a single cell of a battery. The zinc nail and the copper penny are called electrodes. The lemon juice is called electrolyte.
  • All batteries have a "+" and "-" terminal. Electric current is a flow of atomic particles called electrons. Certain materials , called conductors, allow electrons to flow through them. Most metals (copper, iron) are good conductors of electricity. Electrons will flow from the "-" electrode of a battery, through a conductor, towards the "+" electrode of a battery. Volts (voltage) is a measure of the force moving the electrons. (High voltage is dangerous!)
  • In the above image, electrons flow from the "-" (nail) end of our lemon battery through the LED (making it glow) then back to the "+" (penny) end of the battery. This is an electronic circuit. The LED glows dimly with this configuration.
    •

    CREATING THE BATTERY

    NEXT STEPS

    Get supplies for you own lemon battery

    Test alternate combinations:

    The quality of the copper and zinc can produce a weak or defective battery. Pennies in particular are rarely pure copper. Try substituting a length of 14 gauge copper wire (common house wire) for the penny. Experiment with different lengths and configurations of electrodes. Other sources of zinc and copper may be found in the plumbing supply department of a hardware store.

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    Description: Basics of electricity, science, A lemon cell battery is made with a lemon and two metallic electrodes of different metals such as a copper penny or a copper plating.

    By: reachelbagley Rating: Rated 4 Stars Views: 1536
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    Add Your Comment:

    This is a great experiment for a science class. More than 20 years later, I still remember doing this in High School.
            Posted by jamesivie
    1 year ago
    Can you imagine what 400 lemons strung together would produce? I am growing lemons and getting off "The Grid"
            Posted by curtis
    1 year ago
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