Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

My lemon battery is currently not working and I want to try it another time... am I able to reuse the galvanized nails and crocodile clips? If I decide to retry the experiment a day later, will the lemons be okay to use once again or do I need to get new lemons?

Hi - you can always reuse the alligator clips. You can reuse the nails as long as they are not too corroded, but that should not be a problem if you only tested the battery briefly. Eventually the lemons will dry out and the battery will not work, but it should not be a problem if they are only a day old. You can wrap them in plastic wrap overnight to help prevent them from drying out, since they already have holes in them.