The SMILE Program @ OSU

Previously on the blog we showed you how to build a biodegradable battery from washers, pennies, and vinegar. A SMILE Club from Forest Grove High School shared with us the many different objects they used to try to create a battery.  Success came when the club used a strawberry as their energy source, but what characteristics of strawberry make it a good battery? We think this video does a great job of explaining the science behind this concept:

Hopefully after watching this video you have a better understanding of anodes and cathodes.  What else could be used in place of the strawberry or lemon? Scientist Angela Belcher is working on making batteries from viruses so that batteries can be biodegradable.  In this article she expands on her research.  What do you think will make a good battery?

In this activity, students will learn how to build a voltaic pile battery, which is the oldest form of electric battery. The voltaic pile battery was invented in the 1800s by Alessandro Volta using a giant stack of alternating layers of zinc, blotting paper soaked in salt water, and silver. This battery concept is the basis of the battery that students will construct — a simple battery that uses pennies, cardboard soaked in vinegar, and zinc washers for each cell. Students will then attempt to power a small LED light and a calculator with their batteries and explore the concepts of electrical current.

Battery Building Activity