Potatoes provide a weak electrical power source.
Electrolysis occurs when a direct current (DC) is passed through an ionic material dissolved in a solution. Water can be broken apart into constituent hydrogen and oxygen molecules by electrolysis. Pure water cannot be used because the impurities in common tap water or water found in nature increase the conductivity and allow the breakup of water to occur. Potatoes can be used as very weak DC batteries in home science experiments. By using a potato as a power source, you can break down water into hydrogen and oxygen using electrolysis.
Instructions
1. Insert the copper electrode into one end of the potato and the zinc electrode into the other.
2. Attach a lead wire with alligator clips to each electrode.
3. Connect the ends of the lead wires (using alligator clips) to the probes of your voltmeter or multimeter. The meter should read a low voltage around 1 volt. If the meter reads nothing, check the lead connections. If the connections are set up correctly but there is still no voltage reading use a different potato. The voltage produced is dependent on the water and minerals within the potato. Dry potatoes will not perform as well as fresh, moist potatoes.
4. Disconnect the meter.
5. Fill your container with water enough partially submerge the nails if they were standing on the bottom. Measure the amount by adding 1 cup at a time.
6. Add 1/4 cup of salt for every cup of water you added. Stir the mixture until the salt is completely dissolved. The salt will act as an electrolyte and increase the conductivity of water.
7. Attach the other end of the leads in the potato to one steel nail for each lead. Clip them using the alligator clips.
8. Using a clothes pin, hang the steel nails from the edge of the container of water on opposite sides. Clip the wiring to the side using the pin and make sure the nails are submerged in the water.
9. Watch the container for bubbles forming around the nails and rising up. There is now a circuit completed through the potato and the water. The bubbles are hydrogen and oxygen gas. Sometimes other gases form from impurities in the water. In this case, the salt will form small amounts of chlorine gas.
Tags: alligator clips, hydrogen oxygen, electrode into, increase conductivity, power source
