A completely original device to interest middle school children is a potato battery. Yes, there are children! Many adults are interested in manufacturing, as well as researching such a DC source. For designing, special tools and devices are not needed - improvised means will do. Moreover, it only takes a few minutes to make.
What is a potato battery for
A potato battery is a non-standard device that cannot be used to power household appliances. But on the other hand, it is easy for him to find use for other purposes and consider the manufacturing process, for example, as:
- Great project for a science fair.
- Joint study of physics by children and parents.
- An unusual hobby that you can surprise your friends with.
Basically, such devices serve to demonstrate or install physical laws. Children are very fond of conducting experiments on the study of electric current.
What tools do you need to make a vegetable battery
To make a vegetable a source of direct current, additional tools and materials are needed, since it will not produce electricity by itself. A potato battery will turn out using the following materials:
- 2-3 large potatoes.
- Zinc and copper nails.
- Single strand copper wire.
- Ammeter, better multimeter.
- LED.
Additionally, you will need a soldering iron, pliers, scissors for cutting metal. It is advisable to prepare the workplace and additionally take a damp cloth to wipe the surface.
Potato is the most readily available material, but craftsmen often experiment using citrus fruits, other vegetables and fruits. The principle of manufacture, as well as use, is the same as with potatoes. Just need to take a little more wire and nails.
Features of manufacturing an unusual energy source
You don't need to have a huge amount of knowledge in physics or be a jack of all trades to figure out how to make a battery out of potatoes. Even a child can cope with the task. Potato battery manufacturing principle:
- You must first prepare the copper wire. Remove the insulator, if present, and strip the ends of the wire well.
- Tie a copper nail to one end of the wire, and a zinc nail to the other. Soldering the wire to the elements will reduce the voltage loss.
- Sequentially spread the potatoes and connect the vegetables with elements of wire and nails. Two different nails are stuck into each unit. If a zinc nail is inserted into the first, it is logical that a copper nail is inserted into the second. So, in another part of the second potato, you need to stick a zinc nail.
- Next, it is worth taking measurements of direct current: press the end nails to the probes of a multimeter or ammeter. Three potatoes can show a voltage of 1.5V.
- You can increase the number of elements in the vegetable chain. It is enough to cut each potato into several parts. Then the tension will rise.
Thanks to these indicators, a potato battery will be able to light a small LED. It is enough to attach only two end nails from the first and from the last potato to the wiring of the lighting element.
The principle of operation of such a device
Before you start making a vegetable battery, you can measure. It is enough to stick the micrometer probes into the potatoes. The result will immediately pop up on the scoreboard with an indicator of several millivolts. If you attach the wires of the device to coins, which are then invested in a cut on a potato, the indicators will increase.
Potatoes contain s alts and acids that act as an electrolyte. The zinc and copper elements are the anode and cathode, respectively. Steel or aluminum elements can be used, but the voltage readings will be lower due to the high resistance of the material.
A battery made from a lemon and a potato will be much more efficient than a power source from a single vegetable. Due to the oxidative processes that occur during the interaction of zinc, copper and acids, an electric current is generated. The electrodes sequentially move from the anode to the cathode at a certain speed. A potato battery at home works on the same principle. Therefore, to say that the current is concentrated in the potato is stupid.
