Can the Lemon Battery be Improved?
Will a multi-cell lemon battery power an electric motor?
Hypothesis
I think large copper and zinc plates with blended lemon should generate enough electricity power a small motor.
Materials Used
- Lemons
- 12 gauge copper wire
- copper plates
- zinc covered nails
- zinc coated plates
- magnesium plates
- multi meter tester
- wired alligator clips
- plastic container
- electric motor
- Light Emitting Diode
Procedure
1) Build a single cell lemon battery with a whole lemon, copper wire, and a zinc covered nail. Battery A.
2) Measure voltage and current. Log results.
3) Build a single cell lemon battery with blended lemons, a zinc plate, a copper plate, and plastic container. Battery B.
4) Measure voltage and current. Log results.
5) Build single cell lemon battery using a whole lemon, copper wire, and a magnesium plate. Battery C.
6) Measure voltage and current. Log results.
7) Compare results of batteries A, B, and C to determine best output for construction of multi-cell lemon battery.
8) Construct multi-cell lemon battery from materials that resulted in highest voltage and current. Battery D.
9) Attach multi-cell lemon battery to an electric motor to test if a lemon battery can power an electric motor.
10) Log results.
2) Measure voltage and current. Log results.
3) Build a single cell lemon battery with blended lemons, a zinc plate, a copper plate, and plastic container. Battery B.
4) Measure voltage and current. Log results.
5) Build single cell lemon battery using a whole lemon, copper wire, and a magnesium plate. Battery C.
6) Measure voltage and current. Log results.
7) Compare results of batteries A, B, and C to determine best output for construction of multi-cell lemon battery.
8) Construct multi-cell lemon battery from materials that resulted in highest voltage and current. Battery D.
9) Attach multi-cell lemon battery to an electric motor to test if a lemon battery can power an electric motor.
10) Log results.
Results Log
Battery A .411 volts 0 micro amps
Battery B .941 volts 1.9 micro amps
Battery C 1.58 volts 0.1 micro amps
Battery D 6.81 volts 1.4 micro amps
Battery B .941 volts 1.9 micro amps
Battery C 1.58 volts 0.1 micro amps
Battery D 6.81 volts 1.4 micro amps
Conclusion
The lemon battery lit an LED, but failed to power an electric motor.
The data collected from this experiment suggested that a more powerful battery could be built using larger magnesium and copper plates.
The data collected from this experiment suggested that a more powerful battery could be built using larger magnesium and copper plates.