Did you know that a lemon can be used as a battery? Whilst using a real battery may well be the most practical option, it is far more fun to experiment and use a lemon.
Batteries work by having two different metals within an acidic solution. Using a copper coin and a zinc nail are perfect, the lemon acts as the acidic solution. Connect a few of the lemons together and you’ll be able to power an LED.
What you’ll need:
5 large lemons
5 copper coins
5 zinc-galvanised nails
5 crocodile clips
6 lengths of insulated wire
3-volt LED
Follow the process below to learn how:
1) Insert a zinc coated nail into a lemon.
2) Make a slit in the lemon and insert a copper coin.
3) Repeat this process with four other lemons
4) Wrap the bare end of a wire around the nail and attach a crocodile clip to the other end. Repeat this process with all lemons. Leave one of the wires without a clip.
5) Connect each of the clips to a different lemons coin.
6) You should be left with a free lead at each end of the chain.
7) Connect the wire from the nail to the negative LED wire, and the wire from the last coin to the positive LED wire.
8) The LED should now be lit providing you with a lemon-powered battery!
Useful Tips: Each lemon provides around 1 volt of electricity. If you’re short of lemons then you can cut each lemon in half.
