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lemons as batteries ...not working
Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 7:25 pm
by SydneyWC
Why won't lemons light up a light bulb?
We have conducted 4 tests using from 2 to 4 lemons cut in half like shown on line and in book. We have gone from small flashlight battery to 12volt to now a 1.7volt lcd light. Have checked the wires and bulbs with 1.5 volt batteries and they light up with conventional batteries using the same wires as with lemons. We don't know why the expiriment is not working . Any suggestions? thanks, project is due Thursday May 8th.
Sydney and Robin(MOM)
Re: lemons as batteries ...not working
Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 10:55 pm
by deleted-71417
Hi ,
Your post does not give enough details to very accurately guess what the problem is. I assume(perhaps incorrectly) that you are trying to follow the Science Buddies vegetable batteries writeup:
https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... ?from=Home
If so, what metals are you using for the battery electrodes? SB writeup suggests using a copper and galvanized nail pair, which should work well. Some users of this site have tried to use aluminum pop top can pieces and have had problems so I recommend getting a copper wire - galvanized nail battery to work before being more adventurous. Second, be careful the copper wire does not touch the galvanized nail inside the lemon - that will short out the circuit. Also be aware that to generate a voltage the electrodes must be of different metals - putting two galvanized nails in a lemon will not generate a voltage between them. Third, if you are trying to put two cells together in series, you must connect the nail in one battery (lemon) to the copper wire in the second lemon and measure the voltage between the other nail and copper wire. If you measure the voltage between two like metals (nail to nail or copper to copper) the voltage will be zero. Have you tried to measure the voltage of your battery with a voltmeter? The writeup points out your lemon battery may not generate much current, so that might also be why you can’t get the lamps to light. This experiment is rather reliable so you should be able to make it work.
Best wishes for a successful experiment.
Barrett Tomlinson