Some Science at Home

We used some science kits at home to do classical experiments. The first one was the potato battery, an idea that turns out to be far too restrictive. We tried a bunch of other fruits and vegetables, along with even more exotic items.

Equipped for science!

In the classic experiment, two metal sticks (copper and zinc) are stuck in a potato and connected by wires to an electrical device, such as a light or a digital clock. The kit we had contained two sticks of each metal, making a longer circuit and more electric flow. We wired up the potatoes and were able to get the clock to display the classic 00:00 flashing image. The chemical properties of the two metals cause a flow of charged particles (ions) between them but the metal sticks can't be touching. The potato allows the ions to flow from one strip to the other, creating a small electrical current. 

After trying and succeeding with both potatoes and sweet potatoes, we moved on to other items like fruit to see if they would act as conductors for the electric flow.

Behold! The power of lemons!

Oranges caused some weird display

Any conductor works. If a person holds the metal strips, a small current flows.

Using my children as batteries! Maybe The Matrix was right?

Even soda will work to conduct electricity.

I wonder if Powerade would be stronger?

The kids were happy to drink the soda. We turned the potatoes into hash browns. 

Power for human consumption

We had another science kit that was supposed to make a salt-powered robot. Building the battery out of charcoal and salt water did not work quite right, even using a rubber band to reinforce the wire connections. If we squeezed the battery between our fingers to hold the wires in place, the wheels would spin. But it would not run on its own.

Needs the patience of an Edison

The kids enjoyed the battery a lot, the robot not so much. Now if I can only get them to advance into the mad science genre...