INVESTIGATION FILE

 This model of the chemical reactions makes several

predictions that were examined in experiments published
by Jerry Goodisman in 2001. Goodisman notes that
numerous recent authors propose chemical reactions for
the lemon battery that involve dissolution of the copper
electrode into the electrolyte. Goodisman excludes this
reaction as being inconsistent with the experiments, and
notes that the correct chemistry, which involves the
evolution of hydrogen at the copper electrode, has been
known for many years. When the electrolyte was modified
by adding zinc sulphate (ZnSO4), the voltage from the cell
was reduced as predicted using the Nernst equation for the
model. The Nernst equation essentially says how much the
voltage drops as more zinc sulphate is added.
 The addition of copper sulphate (CUS04 )did not affect the
voltage .The result is consistent .When the battery is
hooked up to an external circuit and a significant electrical
current is flowing , the zinc electrode loses mass, as
predicted by zinc oxidation reaction above copper
electrode. Finally, the voltage from the cell depend upon
the acidity of the electrolyte as measured by its pH;
decreasing acidity(and increasing pH) causes the voltage to
fall. This effect is also predicted by Nernst’s Equation.
The energy comes from the chemical change in the
zinc (or other metal) when it dissolves into the acid.
The energy does not come from the lemon or potato.
The zinc is oxidized inside the lemon, exchanging
some of its electrons with the acid in order to reach a
lower energy state, and the energy released provides
the power. In current practice, zinc is produced by
electron winning of ZnSO4 or pyro metallurgic
reduction of zinc with carbon, which requires an
energy input. The energy produced in the lemon
battery comes from reversing this reaction,
recovering some of the energy.
• Distilled Water, Cold drink, Salt Water
• Connecting Wire
• Copper and Zinc Strips
• Digital Clock

• Assemble a “connection pair” by connecting the

wire carefully thread the wire’s exposed metallic end
through the holes on the plate. Gently twist wire to
secure it to the plate.
• Afterwards, connect the black wire from the LCD
clock (negative) to one of the zinc plate. Then
connect red wire from LCD clock (positive) to piece of
copper plate. Now drink work as a device
called electrochemical cell. It converts the
chemical energy stored in the metal strips
into strips into electrical energy.
A cell works because of the chemical
properties of the metals inside (in this
case the copper and zinc). The different
properties cause tiny particles charged
with electricity (ions) to move between
the two strips of metal. This flow is an
electric current. The liquid which conduct
electricity contains the particles that
allow the current to flow, but it stops the
metals touching. Electric current also
flows along the wire between the zinc
and copper strips & the clock. This current
makes the clock run.
SALT WATER: The ions present in
common salt sodium chloride dissociate
into ions of sodium and chloride. These
ions are responsible for conduction of
electricity. Potential is provided by copper
and zinc rods.
DISTILLED WATER : There is absence of
ions in distilled water therefore the
distilled water doesn't conduct electricity
and hence the clock doesn’t work.
Though the H+ and OH- but the pH is 7
therefore the ion dissociation is not
enough only 10-7M H+ is present in
distilled water. so this can not conduct
electricity.
COLDRINK: The cold drink too contains
ions which dissociate to conduct
electricity.

……………………..The End………………………