Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

Background of the study

Potato, the third most important food crop worldwide is a tetraploid outcrossing
species propagated from tubers. Breeders have long been challenged by polyploidy,
heterozygosity, and asexual reproduction. It has been assumed that tetraploidy is
essential for high yield, that the creation of inbred potato is not feasible, and that
propagation by seed tubers is ideal. In this paper, we question those assumptions and
propose to convert potato into a diploid inbred line–based crop propagated by true
seed. Although a conversion of this magnitude is unprecedented, the possible genetic
gains from a breeding system based on inbred lines and the seed production benefits
from a sexual propagation system are too large to ignore. (Shelley H. Jansky, July 01
2016)

A battery is a device that converts chemical energy contained within its active

materials directly into electric energy by means of an electrochemical oxidation-

reduction (redox) reaction. This type of reaction involves the transfer of electrons from
one material to another via an electric circuit. While the term battery is often used

the cell is the actual electrochemical unit used to generate or store electric energy. In

understanding the differences between a cell and a battery, one should think of a

battery as one or more of these cells connected in series, or parallel, or both, depending

on the desired output voltage and capacity. (Alex Golberg, 2010)

Statement Of The Problem

What This study sought to answer these following questions:

1. What makes a potato similar to an electrical battery?

2. How much current can a potato battery produce?

3. What can we benefit in the potato battery?

Significance Of The Study

The potato battery is reliable and cheap in the long run. It is also portable
to use by our subjects which they can use it everywhere but they need to be more
careful a but it so it won't cause any problem that would harm them. The purpose of
this study is to provide source of electricity and to prove that there are more options
for powering up devices such as light bulb.

Scope and Limitation

This research mainly covers on testing and powering up a single

electronic gadget using the current present in the potato. Some batteries are
dangerous and can lead to fire, explosion, chemical pollution and
mostly needs to be maintained and checked frequently.

Definition of Terms

Potato - A starchy plant tuber which is one of the most important food crops, cooked

and eaten as a vegetable.

Battery - A battery is an energy source consisting of one or more electrochemical cells
and terminals on both ends called an anode (-) and a cathode (+). Electrochemical cells
transform chemical energy into electrical energy.
Electricity - A form of energy resulting from the existence of charged particles (such
as electrons or protons), either statically as an accumulation of charge
or dynamically as a current.
CHAPTER 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURES

According to Tuan C. Nguyen December 2, 2013, as one of the most ubiquitous

crops in the world, the potato is poised to feed the entire world. Along the way,
scientists discovered that the popular staple of many people's diets may also have
potential to help power it as well. Using small units comprised of a quarter-slice of
potato sandwiched between a copper cathode and a zinc node that's connected by a
wire, agricultural science professor Haim Rabino witch and his team wanted to prove
that a system that can be used to provide rooms with LED-powered lighting for as long
as 40days.
At around one-tenth the cost of a typical AA battery, a potato could supply power for cell
phone and other personal electronics in poor, underdeveloped and remote regions
without access to a power grid. To be clear, the potato is not, in and of itself, an energy
source.

What the potato does is simply help conduct electricity by acting as what’s called
a salt-bridge between the two metals, allowing the electro current to move freely across
the wire to create electricity. Numerous fruits rich in electrolytes like bananas and
strawberries can also form this chemical reaction.

The researchers say that there is not enough delay when the world will embrace
this sustainable or renewable source of energy. The world needs it and there are many
places where there is a shortage or no electricity at all. A slice of potato can provide up
to 20 hours of electricity for a light bulb. But when the fight for hunger arises the potato
is surely required first for the hungry. Although researchers are trying to find a way out
for this as well and are trying to find methods in which less potato is used to generate
maximum electricity. To explain this, the researchers ruptured the cell membrane of
a potato by boiling it and found out that by boiling a potato for a span of 8 minutes we
can enhance the output ten times. 

Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem released their finding that a

potato boiled for eight minutes can make for a battery that produces ten times the power
of a raw one. Using small units comprised of a quarter-slice of potato sandwiched
between a copper cathode and a zinc anode that's connected by a wire, agricultural
science professor Haim Rabinowitch and his team wanted to prove that a system that
can be used to provide rooms with LED-powered lighting for as long as 40 days. At
around one-tenth the cost of a typical AA battery, a potato could supply power for cell
phone and other personal electronics in poor, underdeveloped and remote regions
without access to a power grid. The Smithsonianmag.com also agreed that the acids in
the potato react with the zinc and copper metals, creating an electron imbalance at each
electrode. Because it keeps the ions formed by the reaction separate, but conducts
electricity via its water and electrolytes, the reaction forces the electrons in the copper
electrode to move. This movement of electrons is an electric current and is sufficient to
power any small devices.

SCIENCE 7
INVESTIGATORY PROJECT

POTATO CHARGER

Group members: Teacher:

Brodith, Kent Pardillo, Luxmie

Babael, Zabdiel
Columna, Raniesha
Gundaya, Reign
Lañas, Anya
Lu-maad, Ella
Smith, Ellyza