Why does a lemon battery work?
The citric acid and chemical reactions created by properly creating a lemon battery produce a small electrical current. Although a lemon battery is by no means a powerful battery, it can be used to demonstrate principles of electricity and currents.Lemon BatteryTo make a lemon battery, two lemons are required. Copper wires, zinc nails and copper pennies are also required. A nail and a penny are stuck into each lemon, and all of the parts are connected by the copper wires.Citric AcidCitric acid, which is found in large amounts in lemons, reacts with both zinc and copper. For this reason, citric acid is also effective in cleaning copper. The citric acid will begin to dissolve both the copper and the nail at a very slow pace.ChemistryAs the copper, zinc and citric acid react, free electrons begin circulating inside the lemon. The electrons create energy, which travels through the copper wires and is expressed as a small electrical current.EffectsAccording to “Naked Science,” it is possibl
