Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Hello,
How long do potato batteries last? How long do lemon batteries last?

Hi fotiweli,

There is no straightforward answer to this question, as the time will depend on the moisture content of the potato/lemon. The moisture acts as an electrolyte, which helps the electrons flow from the anode to the cathode (the metal electrodes stuck into the potato). The potato will eventually dry out to the point that electrons can no longer travel between the electrodes. However, the time it takes for that to happen depends on your environmental conditions (i.e., humidity, temperature, etc.).

The Science Buddies website has a good write-up on the background of vegetable batteries:
https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... background

There is also a blog post about lemon batteries with several links to additional information:
https://www.sciencebuddies.org/blog/lemon-battery

Good luck!