The Electric Fruits
By Erika Lindstrom
Ms. Godric
p.2-3
Table of Contents
Pg. 1) Abstract
Pg. 2) Introduction
Pg. 3) Research
Pg. 4) Experiments
Pg. 5) Graphs
Pg. 6) Conclusion
Pg. 7) Sources
Pg. 8) Sources, continued
Pg. 9) Acknowledgements
Abstract
Electric Fruits
The purpose of this project was to find out which fruit
would generate enough electricity to light a light bulb
and to discover which fruit would light the bulb the
longest. To conduct my experiments I used a
Multimeter, copper and zinc wires & electrodes,
alligator clips with leads, various light bulbs and five
types of fruits.
In my experiment, I measured the voltage generated
by different fruits. To keep my report unbiased, I did
three trials for each fruit then recorded the averages.
Next, I connected the alligator clip leads from the
fruit to the light bulb and recorded the data.
After several tests, and test refinements still the
results were negative. The light bulb would not light up
with any of the fruit using any of the variables. I
discovered the reason was that the light bulb had too
much resistance and the fruit did not produce enough
current.
Introduction
Since I am interested in electricity I was very curious to see if you
could really light a light bulb with fruit. In my research I have found
out that certain fruits contain substances such as ascorbic acid, citric
acid and NADH (chemical that generates cellular energy). Under
certain circumstances these chemicals act as electrolytes and then
undergo electrolysis. Electrolysis means a chemical change produced
by electric current passing through an electrolyte. The electrons flow
from the cathode through the electrolytes to the anode. The cathode
is the negative electrode, which could be the copper wire, and the
anode is the positive electrode, which could be the zinc wire. This
process generates electricity just the same way as a voltaic battery.
Count Alessandro Volta an Italian physicist, known for his pioneering
work in electricity, invented the voltaic battery in 1800. The v