Today I have done an experiment using lemons to power a clock.
We did this from a set, that contained a small digital clock, two sticks of zinc and three pieces of wire. We had to do is chop the lemon in half. Then we had to get two forks and stick them in both lemon halves. Next, we put the zinc sticks in each lemon half and connected the red wire to 1 of the forks and the black wire to 1 of the zinc sticks on the other lemon half then we connected both these wires to the clock. Then we attached the white wire to the remaining zinc stick and fork. Finally, we Sellotaped the wires in place and the clock started working!
So how does it work?
The forks acts like positive electrodes in a battery. They are plated with metal which doesn’t react as much as the zinc does. When the forks and zinc plates are put into the lemon, a chemical reaction happens. Electrons create a negative charge which moves from the zinc plates to the forks to make a current this switching on the clock. Lemon juice helps conducts electricity this can also be done with potatoes and grapefruit.
Here are my pictures of my potato and lemon clock.
by Joe
Wow Joe that’s an amazing experiment. I bet you enjoyed carrying it out. Well done.
Hi Joe – great experiment. How long did your lemon battery last? Can you hook up more than one lemon(sorry Mum and Dad) does it make for a more effective battery? Can you make your battery power anything else (safely) in the house?
Soooo many questions! Brilliant Joe!
Miss Dale
Fantastic Joe! I’m glad you explained how the clock works, looks super.
Great experiment Joe and I like your explanation of how it works.
Yeah Joe, really great explanation of the science behind the experiment there – thanks for sharing! Looks like it was fun to do too.
Thank you very much I really enjoyed it I think that the lemon is the better battery I’m not sure how long it will last for and I haven’t yet tried it with house hold objects 🤪
Sorry that was me Joe I’m using my mums phone