[jsmith613]

is this how a lemon battery works;

1) take two electrodes (copper wire and a galvanized nail)
2) stick the two electrodes into the lemon ensuring they DO NOT make contact
3) the lemon contains an acidic solution, citric acid which acts as the electrolyte
4) the zinc reacts with the acid, producing ions in the solution
5) the ions moving through the solution is what causes the current
6) connect a very basic appliance to either end of the electrodes and it should work

I am not so sure about point 4 - please can someone clarify

Please help

[Grundalizer]

The Zinc isn't reacting with the acid.  Zinc and Copper have different reduction potentials (copper's is higher than zinc's) so Zinc wants to be "oxidized" more than copper does.  You basically get a potential voltage between the copper and zinc, and use the acid (dissociates into negative citrate ion and positive H+ ion to carry the "charge")

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemon_battery

At the anode, metallic zinc is oxidised, and enters the acidic solution as Zn2+ ions:
Zn → Zn2+ + 2 e-.
At the copper cathode, hydrogen (solvated protons from the acidic solution) are reduced to form molecular hydrogen:
2H++ 2e- → H2.

Forgot to add, #6 won't work for most things.  One lemon won't even light an LED, let alone a regular lightbulb, as the internal resistance of the LED/Light is too high.  As current flows, its resistance increases, and since the lemon battery has such a low current, it won't light.  You can cut the lemon into 4 quarters and get 4 (about 1 V) batteries.  The thing that people usually hook up to fruit batteries are old calculators, as those have low internal resistance.

[AWK]

http://hilaroad.com/camp/projects/lemon/lemon_battery.html

[Doctor science]

hi has anyone try ed using large tealight candells or normal candles they produce 1.5 volts each one so put a bunch in parallel and try them out here is a link to it enjoy


http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4850277179425254045#docid=-1508773273257455041

[Borek]

hi has anyone try ed using large tealight candells

This is fake. Clever montage so that wires that really supply power are hidden. Note that whenever bulb or motor has to start/stop, guy puts his hand somewhere between his crotch and base of the right candle - that's where the the real switch is.

[cliverlong]

hi has anyone try ed using large tealight candells

This is fake. Clever montage so that wires that really supply power are hidden. Note that whenever bulb or motor has to start/stop, guy puts his hand somewhere between his crotch and base of the right candle - that's where the the real switch is.

Well spotted !