Our experiment revolved around the effect of pH on the voltage produced by citrus batteries. The point of the experiment was to not only demonstrate how varying degrees of acidity can affect voltage production, but how electricity can be generated by a plain chemical reaction.
The process of conducting the experiment went rather smoothly and the overall process worked well. We were able to generate electricity from the beginning, albeit, it was a very small amount. Initially, we believed we would be unable to produce enough voltage to power anything, however, the use of batteries to supplement the circuit instead of using a dozen citrus fruits really helped the experiment take shape.
Our group reached a problem late into the experiment when we discovered that the orange, the fruit with the highest pH and therefore the lowest acidity, produced the highest voltage. The lemons and the limes produced a fraction of an amount less, but our group was baffled as to why the fruits with a higher concentration of acidity did not produce more voltage. It was only later that we realized that both acid concentration and the quantity of liquid affects how well the solution would help generate voltage. If we had the opportunity to do something different, we would use the juice of the fruits which contain the acid necessary for the experiment. By doing so, we would be able to control the quantity of juice and the fruits with less size would still have the same amount of liquid as an orange.
Our group also found it rather difficult to have the batteries connected in series with the electrician’s tape and copper wiring. If we could have redone the experiment, we would have found a better method than using electrician’s tape to hold the wire and battery in constant contact with each other.
Lastly, it would have been nice to have had more objects that required varying degrees of power to operate. It was difficult to find small, household objects that required small voltages and that were relatively easy to open. With the right objects, this would have further shed light on how little is necessary to generate power given the right materials to create a chemical reaction. In the end, our group and other groups were able to power a TI-30XA with over 6 volts and products with less required voltage to operate would have been a great addition.
Thanks for the sharing
The Citrus Battery Experiment is an innovative way to demonstrate how citrus fruits can generate electricity. By using the acidic properties of lemons, oranges, or grapefruits, small voltages are created when metal electrodes are inserted into the fruit, acting as a simple battery. While this experiment typically uses smaller setups, it can be scaled up to power larger devices. For example, a 48v lithium golf cart battery commonly used in electric vehicles, can be used to store the energy generated in a larger version of the citrus experiment, showcasing the potential of organic power sources in modern technology.
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