Lemon "Juice"
Recommended for grades 5–12.
Introduction
“Juice” is a slang term sometimes used for electricity. Batteries are made up of one or more electrochemical cells. Electrochemical cells often consist of two different materials in an electrolytic solution and connected to each other by a wire. In this experiment, you will study some basic principles of electrochemical cells using the juice of a lemon as the electrolyte. You will place small pieces of two different materials into the lemon, and a computer will be used to measure and display the voltages produced.
Objectives
In this experiment, you will
- Build several cells.
- Measure and display cell voltages.
- Discover which combinations produce a voltage.
- Decide which combination makes the "best" battery.
Sensors and Equipment
This experiment requires each of the following Vernier sensors and equipment (unless otherwise noted):
Additional Requirements
You may also need an interface and software for data collection. What do I need for data collection?
Download Experiment Preview
The student-version preview includes:
- Step-by-step instructions for computer-based data collection
- List of materials and equipment
Note: The experiment preview of the computer edition does not include essential teacher information, safety tips, or sample data. Instructions for Logger Pro and other software (such as LabQuest App or TI handheld software, where available) are on the CD that accompanies the book. We strongly recommend that you purchase the book before performing experiments.
Standards Correlations
See all standards correlations for Physical Science with Vernier »
Included in the Lab Book
Vernier lab books include a CD with word-processing files of the student instructions, essential teacher information, suggested answers, sample data and graphs, and more.