How to Make Lemon Batteries!

Got some lemons? Let's make a lemon battery! With just a few household items, you can generate electricity and light an LED. Join in this hands-on activity to learn about electricity. It is great for all ages and cheap to build. You need 3x lemons, copper pennies, galvanized nails, copper wire, and an LED to light up.
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Made by Teddy Tablante
Table of Contents:
00:35 Section 1: Lemon Battery Build Steps
04:10 Outro: Questions & Branches
FAQ, Tips & Issues building the Lemon Battery:
Top reasons why it doesn't light up an LED:
1) Your coins really should be made of 100% copper, meaning they should be minted before 1982. Coins minted after 1982 are copper plated zinc (2.5% copper, 97.5% zinc). I have had success with these current coins, however very unreliable success.
2) The copper pennies should be clean. Use steel wool or a brillo pad, or the rough side of a sponge and some vinegar to clean them.
ALTERNATIVELY: You can just use a good amount of copper wire inside the lemon instead of the copper pennies, but if you aren't using enough copper wire, your lemon battery won't generate enough current.
3) Your LED legs are facing the wrong direction.
4) Inside the lemon the copper pennies and zinc nails are touching.
5) The connection from copper wire to zinc nails isn't good.
Background Understanding: Lemons & Activities
Key Branches from this video are: Exploring Lemon Batteries, Voltage & Current, Li-Ion Batteries, Understanding Electricity
Erratum:
Animation built using Blender 2.79b www.blender.org/
Post with Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe After Effects
Sound editing with Reaper
Work Cited:
Goodisman, Jerry (2001). "Observations on Lemon Cells". Journal of Chemical Education. 78 (4): 516-518
"Lemon Battery". Pembroke, Ontario: Hila Science Camp.
Wikipedia contributors. "Lemon Batteries." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, March 3rd, 2019.
Music Attribution in Order:
Easy Lemon by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-...
Artist: incompetech.com/
Away by Geographer from KZread Audio Library
Lightning Bugs by Geographer from KZread Audio Library
Water Lillies by Density & Time from KZread Audio Library
Wind Marching For Rain by Puddle of Infinity from KZread Audio Library

Пікірлер: 108

  • @JaredOwen
    @JaredOwen5 жыл бұрын

    I love the intro and the transition into and out of the animation. Looking forward to the next video!

  • @BranchEducation

    @BranchEducation

    5 жыл бұрын

    Thanks! I was having fun with adding keys to the animation speed.

  • @Mr.Bean-Store

    @Mr.Bean-Store

    3 жыл бұрын

    Please explain about BJT through animations, if so it will be helpful for many

  • @amisha9454

    @amisha9454

    3 жыл бұрын

    Hey Jared Owen ! I watch your videos and beleive me they are amazing and I get satisfied after watching it as they solve my question about this confusing world. Thank you! 🇮🇳 Love from India 🇮🇳

  • @TheKdcool
    @TheKdcool5 жыл бұрын

    This was my science project in 6th grade but I never made it work!! 12 lemons in and still no juice. I realize I might not have put enough pennies and most likely not wired them up correctly. Thanks for fixing my childhood!

  • @jess-mf5dt
    @jess-mf5dt14 күн бұрын

    Video looks really good. Awesome video!

  • @johnhatch2869
    @johnhatch28692 жыл бұрын

    I have just finished this experiment with my class and it worked perfectly thanks to your video! Thank you!

  • @null-calx
    @null-calx5 жыл бұрын

    Q1. Galvanized nails and copper pennies can produce electricity, because of different reducing and oxidizing powers of zinc and copper (zinc is more reactive than copper, and easily gives away electrons, compared to copper). Role of lemon: to work as an electrolyte i.e. to transfer electrons from one electrode to other. Q2. Connecting batteries in series algebraically adds up the voltages of each battery, enough to light a LED. Although LED can work at really low voltages, but a single lemon battery generates even lower. Q3. LED or LightEmittingDiode is a semiconductor diode, more specifically forward biased p-n junction, in which recombination of millions electrons and holes is taking place every second (actually that is bond formation and not recombination, i think), realizing a lot of energy in form of EMWave or Light (of certain wavelength, controlled by material used and doping). these was your part, now my part :D Wooooowwwwwww!!! That's cool, on how you switched from conceptual science to practical science. Thank you!!! :) Also, I couldn't ask it on your last video, but how do a phone know how percentage of battery does it have?

  • @BranchEducation

    @BranchEducation

    5 жыл бұрын

    Great responses! Yeah, over time the current decreases, and the power manager microchip in your smartphone measures that and interpolates a % depending on the current max vs current 'empty'. Max and empty aren't absolute values and they don't represent 100% of the lithium being in the carbon vs cobalt respectively, but rather its a %.

  • @rakeshd6362

    @rakeshd6362

    3 жыл бұрын

    as far as i know, depending on the lithium ions that are present on the cathode ( carbon layers ).... or may be the free electrons that are present on the anode ( cobalt lager)... noting down the initial and final condition i.e 0% and 100%

  • @jess-mf5dt
    @jess-mf5dt14 күн бұрын

    Good one.

  • @viktor3380
    @viktor33805 жыл бұрын

    Your Videos are of incredible Quality! Nice Job, keep going like that :)

  • @user-ld1hj8zx3i
    @user-ld1hj8zx3i5 ай бұрын

    Thank you so much! I have a Physics tomorrow and this is the project we have to do. You really helped me, thank you so much. I hope there are still people like you who help to another people. Btw your videos are amazing! Keep going, good luck!❤️💜

  • @creysonnickadamjavillonar534
    @creysonnickadamjavillonar53423 күн бұрын

    The intro is so funny

  • @Askejm
    @Askejm5 жыл бұрын

    Awesome video! I love your work it's so well made

  • @brhtsh
    @brhtsh5 жыл бұрын

    Awesome! Keep making such videos

  • @2012TheAndromeda
    @2012TheAndromeda3 жыл бұрын

    Please keep making such great content!

  • @0514deanna
    @0514deanna4 жыл бұрын

    My science teacher said I had to do it and it's so cool.

  • @paulette_hinai
    @paulette_hinai5 жыл бұрын

    Yes, another one!

  • @ahmedelsaied3447
    @ahmedelsaied34474 жыл бұрын

    It works for me 😍😍😍 thank you so much

  • @tgmtf5963
    @tgmtf59635 жыл бұрын

    i am here before his millions of subscribers!!!

  • @BranchEducation

    @BranchEducation

    5 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for watching! What is your favorite episode thus far?

  • @tgmtf5963

    @tgmtf5963

    5 жыл бұрын

    All of them!

  • @kartikchaturvedi7868
    @kartikchaturvedi78685 жыл бұрын

    Superrrb Awesome Fantastic video

  • @TheTapabrata
    @TheTapabrata5 жыл бұрын

    awesome brother!!

  • @athina_krt3
    @athina_krt33 жыл бұрын

    this deserves more likes-

  • @13thravenpurple94
    @13thravenpurple94 Жыл бұрын

    Great video =) Thank you

  • @KarthickKarthick-zm2ow
    @KarthickKarthick-zm2ow5 жыл бұрын

    Thank you.

  • @maxwellefang1201
    @maxwellefang12012 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for your video's

  • @SharanyaDuniya
    @SharanyaDuniya Жыл бұрын

    90th comment, nice animation

  • @mathildaxx1731
    @mathildaxx17312 жыл бұрын

    THANK YOU SO MUCHH!

  • @NANDASANAHARDIK
    @NANDASANAHARDIK5 жыл бұрын

    Nice Idea

  • @KrishnaKumar-gl6nx
    @KrishnaKumar-gl6nx5 жыл бұрын

    Awesome

  • @mikahharrison9071
    @mikahharrison907110 ай бұрын

    that is crazy.

  • @khmersharekh
    @khmersharekh2 жыл бұрын

    full time watcing and big like

  • @bulletfire9511
    @bulletfire95115 жыл бұрын

    The style of presenting the video was new and great but frankly speaking internet is full ofthese small experiments. Like to see new videos which are more related to your theme. Good luck.

  • @samueladitya1729
    @samueladitya17295 жыл бұрын

    What happen if you recharge the lemon?

  • @yuklungleung620
    @yuklungleung6205 жыл бұрын

    I dont know why such quality channel lacks subscribers

  • @BranchEducation

    @BranchEducation

    5 жыл бұрын

    We're fairly new when it comes to channels. Good things come with time.

  • @JaiMaharashtra8408
    @JaiMaharashtra8408 Жыл бұрын

    I am from India And I am much more interested in your videos please make some more videos it will help me to understand every small detail in circuit or device . Thank for making this video.❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️♥️

  • @keithbedford1692
    @keithbedford1692 Жыл бұрын

    Not a bad video

  • @user-kc1fj4gh7i
    @user-kc1fj4gh7i4 ай бұрын

    can u use a christmas light instead of an LED one

  • @infinity2kx
    @infinity2kx5 жыл бұрын

    Could you do one on making a Tesla coil tower? ( wireless charging / energy transfer )

  • @MD-qz6gk

    @MD-qz6gk

    5 жыл бұрын

    You can use NE555 to make alternating segnals with high frequency and after with a transistor put the first copper coil (5 turns) arround the second coil (1000 turns to increase the voltage). You can do Tesla Coil easy with ΝΕ555 today.. 😃

  • @BranchEducation

    @BranchEducation

    5 жыл бұрын

    This is a really good idea! It will take a while longer to get to here because I would like to build one in person, and my budget doesn't have room for constructing things.

  • @kaashvibhatia6646
    @kaashvibhatia66463 жыл бұрын

    Hi Branch Education, I have all the materials but I was wondering what I can use instead of copper pennies.

  • @ranburyay1238

    @ranburyay1238

    Жыл бұрын

    You can use a washer also

  • @AlexanderSparrowhawk
    @AlexanderSparrowhawk6 ай бұрын

    Does this also apply to all possible foods like potatoes?

  • @johneygd
    @johneygd3 жыл бұрын

    How long will it last to generate electricity if i keep them cool?

  • @alexdenilak8508
    @alexdenilak85082 жыл бұрын

    hi, what kind of tool do u use to make a video for you tube

  • @omsingharjit
    @omsingharjit4 жыл бұрын

    2:50 you should use corbon instead of cu to increase voltage from single cell

  • @minilyrics2588

    @minilyrics2588

    Жыл бұрын

    Carbón? Como así?

  • @neilmarkabrazado-rx2zx
    @neilmarkabrazado-rx2zx11 ай бұрын

    What can I use instead of pennies?

  • @Krishnasingh-hs7ed
    @Krishnasingh-hs7ed5 жыл бұрын

    Plz make question 3rd as the tittle of your next video and collect lots of stuff

  • @BranchEducation

    @BranchEducation

    5 жыл бұрын

    I too am more excited about the answer to the 3rd question.

  • @DeoMachina
    @DeoMachina5 жыл бұрын

    Here's to galvanised nails and cardboard females!

  • @ok-ws8hm
    @ok-ws8hm11 күн бұрын

    can you power a dc motor with lemons? and how would you connect it to a dc motor?

  • @ibrfusion
    @ibrfusion2 жыл бұрын

    How much electricity will those produce?

  • @CosmicCitiZenOfficial
    @CosmicCitiZenOfficial3 жыл бұрын

    LED Lemon Emitting Diode

  • @akshay_dapke
    @akshay_dapke5 жыл бұрын

    👍

  • @kevinz6725
    @kevinz67253 жыл бұрын

    LED -> Lemon Emitting Diode

  • @user-kc1fj4gh7i
    @user-kc1fj4gh7i4 ай бұрын

    cAN you use a christmas light instead of LED

  • @bubayohanna4347
    @bubayohanna4347 Жыл бұрын

    Pls Can you make a video on how to make a solar plate cell at home

  • @afrahm4493
    @afrahm44935 ай бұрын

    what does yey mean

  • @mixtecjaguar9824
    @mixtecjaguar9824 Жыл бұрын

    I couldn't get it to work, your video expands into possibilities why it doesn't work with one lemon...thank you much!

  • @ajjubhaisupport9357
    @ajjubhaisupport93572 жыл бұрын

    When life gives you lemon make a lemon battery - Jimmy

  • @CONTENTDELETED933
    @CONTENTDELETED9333 жыл бұрын

    I think somthing is wrong because gravity falls said "when life gives you lemons, call them yellow oranges and sell them for dobble the price

  • @mrblaze661
    @mrblaze6615 жыл бұрын

    Can we use metal coin instead of copper

  • @sinecurve9999

    @sinecurve9999

    5 жыл бұрын

    Try it! That's what science is about. What is the impact on the chemistry of using different metals. (trying to teach here, guys)

  • @elethuangel2220
    @elethuangel22202 жыл бұрын

    What would happen if use a patato soaked in consecrated salt water

  • @monkeh3612
    @monkeh36123 жыл бұрын

    2:18 and that's how you kill a lemon😁

  • @upanisad
    @upanisad2 жыл бұрын

    Lemons can think too. These thinking lemons produce enough electricity to charge the LED. Be sensitive when you cut a lemon into half next time.

  • @rohanracer896
    @rohanracer8965 жыл бұрын

    when does your next video coming...?

  • @BranchEducation

    @BranchEducation

    5 жыл бұрын

    hopefully the lemon battery ex plainer will be finished in

  • @rohanracer896

    @rohanracer896

    5 жыл бұрын

    @@BranchEducation Thanks for replying sir... keep growing...

  • @mohdrozaimiesarani4165
    @mohdrozaimiesarani41654 жыл бұрын

    volt??

  • @saturn7_dev
    @saturn7_dev3 жыл бұрын

    Its a battery and its a lemon....I need help with my battery so does that mean I need lemon-aid ?? haha Im guessing my lemon battery will not go flat until I step on it right ? Once done, can I convert this over to an energy drink instead ? lol

  • @franklinalonzo3692
    @franklinalonzo36924 жыл бұрын

    What factors have to be twisted to generate a higher current?

  • @BranchEducation

    @BranchEducation

    4 жыл бұрын

    Making multiple lemon batteries and placing them in series will provide more current. Also you can add more metal surface area into each lemon.

  • @aniketvishwakarma3774
    @aniketvishwakarma3774 Жыл бұрын

    Put two electrodes in an electrolyte solution you have a battery 😊

  • @krunaldodiya7736
    @krunaldodiya77365 жыл бұрын

    Please tell me about..how robot can think and take decision by it self..plzz..

  • @BranchEducation

    @BranchEducation

    5 жыл бұрын

    This is a great question!!

  • @eboubaker3722

    @eboubaker3722

    5 жыл бұрын

    It uses artificial intelligence and neural networks to learn itself and take decisions.

  • @dreamer9071
    @dreamer90715 жыл бұрын

    Make more vids!

  • @BranchEducation

    @BranchEducation

    5 жыл бұрын

    Working on that right now.

  • @BranchEducation

    @BranchEducation

    3 жыл бұрын

    @Islam Ibrahim I know! I'm working on an extra-long video coming up [24min]! Some video topics are just that complicated that they can't be trimmed down to 8-10 min.

  • @TheUmuti
    @TheUmuti Жыл бұрын

    Mines not working

  • @hiltonmalabanan1901
    @hiltonmalabanan19012 жыл бұрын

    What if there is only one lemon?

  • @raj-wj5fo
    @raj-wj5fo5 жыл бұрын

    Sir please make video in hindi language

  • @BranchEducation

    @BranchEducation

    5 жыл бұрын

    I personally don't know hindi, but I would love to help someone who wants to change the audio.

  • @TheTapabrata

    @TheTapabrata

    5 жыл бұрын

    @@BranchEducation yes...I can change the audio...and a lot of Indians will fall in love with your awesome knowledge!!

  • @BranchEducation

    @BranchEducation

    5 жыл бұрын

    It will take more work than you think, but if you really want to send me an email- you can find it in the about page on the channel.

  • @user-kc1fj4gh7i
    @user-kc1fj4gh7i4 ай бұрын

    bro it didnt work

  • @qinyuping2823
    @qinyuping28233 жыл бұрын

    how to make a ubisoft server

  • @eboubaker3722
    @eboubaker37225 жыл бұрын

    I'm still waiting for the next video :v 🕐 🕐, it took too long... don't you have much time to make videos?

  • @BranchEducation

    @BranchEducation

    5 жыл бұрын

    Yup! You and me both. I was working on some contract work and a grant proposal. But finished those, so working full time on the next episode now.

  • @eboubaker3722

    @eboubaker3722

    5 жыл бұрын

    @@BranchEducation cool

  • @user-kc1fj4gh7i
    @user-kc1fj4gh7i4 ай бұрын

    bro i put like 400 pennies and it still doesnt work

  • @vanlamtran1181

    @vanlamtran1181

    4 сағат бұрын

    Are you sure it’s copper penny? You can replace copper wire

  • @md.ratulhasanridoy2156
    @md.ratulhasanridoy21564 жыл бұрын

    Wastes of fruits.

  • @krishnavamsi7713
    @krishnavamsi77135 жыл бұрын

    R u sour....???

  • @musition9873
    @musition98732 жыл бұрын

    bruh, pennies a big let down for people from other countries

  • @herhaider9031
    @herhaider9031 Жыл бұрын

    Awesome

  • @TheUmuti
    @TheUmuti Жыл бұрын

    Mines not working