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This is an activity that demonstrates how batteries work using simple household materials. Learners use a pickle, aluminum foil and a pencil to create an electrical circuit that powers a buzzer. Most common batteries — such as car batteries and the batteries inside a flashlight — work on the same principle that the pickle battery works on: two metals suspended in an ion-rich liquid or paste separate an electric charge, creating an electrical current around a circuit. In this activity, the pickle provides the ion-rich liquid - pickles contain salt water, which is rich in ions.
- 5 to 10 minutes
- 30 to 45 minutes
- $5 - $10 per group of students
- Ages 11 - 18
- Activity, Experiment/Lab Activity
- English
Quick Guide
Materials List (per group of students)
- A pickle
- A pencil
- Aluminum foil (unused)
- A pocket knife (not included in estimated materials cost)
- 2 alligator-clip leads (available at RadioShack)
- A piezo buzzer, 12V DC (at RadioShack, ask for the Archer 273-065B)
Subjects
-
Engineering and Technology
-
Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
- Technology
-
Engineering
-
Physical Sciences
-
Electricity and Magnetism
- Electric Charges and Currents
- Electric Circuits
- Energy
-
Electricity and Magnetism
Informal Categories
- Electronics
- Food and Cooking
Audience
To use this activity, learners need to:
- see
- hear
- touch
Learning styles supported:
- Involves hands-on or lab activities
Other
This resource is part of:
Access Rights:
- Free access
By:
Rights:
- All rights reserved, The Exploratorium,