How to Make a Warm "Battery" from Potatoes – Scientific Adventures in the Workshop

Petya and Lena decided to try another scientific experiment, and this time they chose something truly amazing – to make their own battery from potatoes! Lena had found this experiment in her physics book and immediately suggested trying it with her brother.

— Do you think it's possible to use a potato to light up an LED? — asked Lena, laying out the potatoes, copper and zinc nails, and a small LED on the table.

— I don't know, — replied Petya, — but let's try it! How does it work?

Lena smiled and began to explain:

— It's quite simple. Potatoes are made of water and salts that conduct electricity. If we insert two different metal objects – a copper nail and a zinc nail – into the potato, it will act like a small battery. We’ll use it to light up the LED!

Petya watched closely as his sister worked. Lena carefully inserted the copper and zinc nails into opposite sides of the potato and then connected wires to the LED. Petya took one wire and touched it to the copper nail, while Lena touched the other wire to the zinc nail.

— Alright, it's ready! — said Lena, and they both waited with bated breath for the result.

Suddenly, the LED lit up, and both kids gasped in surprise.

— Hooray! It's lit up! We really made a battery from potatoes! — Lena exclaimed joyfully.

Petya nodded with a smile.

— It feels like magic, but it's really just science! A potato can be a source of energy!

The kids decided to test how long their potato battery would last. They connected another LED and some batteries. Every time they swapped the components, the process repeated, and the LED kept glowing.

— I wonder how many LEDs we can light up with just one potato? — Petya wondered aloud.

— I don't know, but let's find out, — suggested Lena. — We can connect several batteries together, and then they’ll last even longer!

And that's exactly what they did. Petya and Lena connected multiple potatoes and nails together and tested each time how brightly the LED shone. Every experiment was a new discovery for them!

When they finished, Petya and Lena realized that it wasn't just about making a battery, but also about understanding how electrical circuits work. Everything they needed for the experiment was easy to find and available in any kitchen or workshop, and yet they gained valuable insights into how electricity works.

The experiment was complete, and the kids felt like real scientists, as they had created an electric circuit and managed to generate light using a potato!