We discussed static electricity and how to perform the electrical experiment in order to learn about static electricity here

Let’s some Electrical Experiments. 

Chances are you have heard about the electrical experiment using a potato to make a battery. Well in this experiment you will be using a lemon (you can also use a lime or any type of citrus fruit).

Experiment 2 – Generating Electricity

What you will need

Lemon (or as stated above any type of citrus fruit)
Copper wire
Zinc strip
Circuit wire or alligator clips

Instructions

Cut 2 small slits in the skin of the lemon. Make the slits are a few inches apart.
Push the copper and zinc strips into the slits in each piece of produce. Make sure the rods do not touch each other.
Connect an electrical wire to the end of each metal strip. Alligator clips make this step easy.
Measure the voltage drop between the two wires attached to the metal strips on the lemon. This is the amount of voltage being produced by the produce. Compare the difference in the amount of voltage produced by a lemon. What do you notice? How long will the fruit generate voltage?

Make this experiment even more fun by doing the exact same steps with a potato and comparing the differences!!

What’s Happening

The lemons is acting like a low powered battery. Chemicals in the lemon create a negative charge in the zinc strip which makes electrons move into the zinc strip and travel up the attached wire. The electrons then travel through the voltmeter which measures the voltage drop and end up in the copper strip which becomes the positive end of the circuit.

Resources
Science with Kids

 

Remember ALWAYS remain safe when working with electricity and ALWAYS do experiments with your parents.

**Note : Daniel’s Electric is not liable in anyway for individuals not being safe while attempting these experiments