Creating a battery from citrus fruit is a popular experiment in schools and a fascinating project to attempt at home. Low-power items such as LCD clocks or LEDs can be powered for a week from nothing more than a piece of fruit. Batteries consist of two electrodes inserted into an electrolyte solution, and the acidic juice of a lime is a natural electrolyte solution, making it a good source of bio-power.
- Lime
- Copper wire
- Paper clip
- Low-voltage wire
- Wire strippers
- Emery cloth
Connect a multimeter between the metal inserts to measure the voltage.
To avoid a painful squirt of lime juice in your eyes, don't lean over the fruit when pushing probes into it.
Do not eat the lime after it has been used as a battery. The acidic juice dissolves metal from the probes and may contaminate the fruit.
Squeeze the lime to break up the juice-filled cells within the flesh. Do as much damage to the internal structure as possible but take care not to rupture the skin.
Strip an inch of insulation from one end of the copper wire, then straighten out the paperclip. If either is dirty, corroded, or has a rough edge, clean the metal until it is smooth and shines.
Insert the copper wire into one side of the lime and the paperclip into the other side of the lime. Do not allow the two metals to touch each other. The battery is now ready for use. When the two metal inserts are connected to each other, a low voltage will flow between them.
Things You'll Need
Tips
Warnings
References
Tips
- Connect a multimeter between the metal inserts to measure the voltage.
- To avoid a painful squirt of lime juice in your eyes, don't lean over the fruit when pushing probes into it.
Warnings
- Do not eat the lime after it has been used as a battery. The acidic juice dissolves metal from the probes and may contaminate the fruit.
About the Author
David Robinson has written professionally since 2000. He is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and the Royal Meteorological Society. He has written for the "Telegraph" and "Guardian" newspapers in the U.K., government publications, websites, magazines and school textbooks. He holds an honors Bachelor of Arts in geography and education and a teaching certificate from Durham University, England.
Photo Credits
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