How to Make an Apple Battery
Just like a lemon, an apple can also be used to make a crude battery for the purpose of demonstrating an electrochemical reaction. An apple battery is an informative science experiment for kids that is very inexpensive and easy to make. Children love this experiment because it demonstrates how simple science can actually be.
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Things You'll Need
- Apple
- Volt meter
- Steel nail
- Zinc-plated nail
- 2 electrical wires
- Sandpaper
- Sharp knife
Instructions
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1
Use a sharp knife to strip the insulation from the ends of the wires. Any type of electrical cable with copper wiring inside will do fine.
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2
Use a small piece of sandpaper to clean the ends of the wires and the nails. You only have to rub them gently for a moment.
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3
Wrap one end of one of the wires around the steel or zinc nail. It does not matter which one. Wrap the other end of the wire around the remaining nail. These will be the terminals.
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4
Insert the terminals into the apple. Try to keep them as close together as possible, but do not let them touch. If the terminals touch, it will short out the battery. If this does occur, you will just have to a pick a new spot on the apple.
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5
Turn on your volt meter and chose a "DC" setting. You might also want to test it on a real battery to make sure it is working.
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6
Touch one of the terminals with the meter lead to see the reading. Touch each terminal back and forth to compare the readings.
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References
- Photo Credit apple image by Andrey Rakhmatullin from Fotolia.com
