Lemon battery

Friday, September 12, 2008
Did you know you can create a battery by using a few coins, some wire and a lemon? It's another experiment that might get you and your family "Hooked on Science."

Materials

* Penny

* Nickel

* Lemon

* Wire

Instructions

STEP 1: Have an adult cut two slits into the lemon.

STEP 2: Place the nickel into one of the slits and the penny into the other slit.

STEP 3: Cut the wire into two 6-inch pieces. Make sure the ends of each piece are exposed.

STEP 4: Slide the ends of each wire into the lemon next to each coin.

STEP 5: Holding the free ends of the wire, stick the exposed ends of the wire to your tongue.

Explanation

You feel a slight tingle when you touch the exposed ends of each wire to your tongue because the coins react with the acid in the lemon creating a small electrical current.

Jason Lindsey is a Science Outreach Educator with Hooked on Science. Check out his website "Hooked On Science" at hookedonscience.org for webcasts and experiments that might get you hooked on science. Send him your science questions at jlindsey@hookedonscience.org. More science experiments can be found at www.semissourian.com.