Unlimited Powa!

(with lemons)
(hopefully)
Matt, Joell, Collin, and Lexi
Original Idea

Based on concepts of oxidation, reduction, and energy waste becoming heat

Used zinc and copper nodes

Goal to light a fire

Energy Conversions(Original idea)

Chemical Light and Heat

Heat

Electricity

Chemical
Energy Conversions(Revised Idea)

Light and Heat

Electricity

Chemical
 Revised Idea/Material Reasoning

VS

Goal changed to lighting a light bulb due to lack of results from tests of trying to light a fire

We used Magnesium rather than zinc due to its higher reactivity when compared with copper

We only used 2(one Magnesium and one copper) nodes in each lemon because we tested more vs less and the
lemons with less nodes produced more electricity, maybe due to less resistance

We used 3 lemons split into quarters so 12 slices because more lemons= more power and when we noticed a
lemon split into quarters produced more electricity than 1 lemon whole. This is likely due increasing the number
of cells leading to more isolated reactions producing power, leading to more electricity.
 Chemical talk
Reduction: The copper accepts the electrons sent through the wire, it is also a conductor. The copper is the
positives ide.

● We cut open the lemon to find it was a little green inside, this may be evidence of reduction or the
copper is oxidizing due to the water in the lemmon

Oxidation: Citric Acid(C6H8O7) + Magnesium(Mg) ➝ Magnesium Citrate(C6H6MgO7)+ Hydrogen (H2)

● This reaction releases electrons to travel through the wire to to the copper
● The magnesium is the negative side.
Energy Blueprint

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 Energy

Compare theoretical equations

Potential Voltage of the Battery

- EoCell = Eocathode - Eoanode

- 2.53 V = 0.16 V - 2.37 V

- Our max voltage was 1.8 V per cell, meaning about .73 V were lost

- Energy is likely lost to heat from resistance

Final Product!
Conclusion

Lemons aren’t a very efficient energy source because:

● They don’t conduct electricity very well.

● They go bad after time so they aren’t reliable
● A lemon is only 4% - 6% citric acid so aren’t very powerful, that why we need multiple
to light an LED