Worksheet for Educators to be used in-class.
Materials Required:
| No | Material | Qty | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wires | 1 | Mumbai: Lamington Road |
| 7 | Crocodile Clips | 1 | Lamington Road |
| 2 | LED | 1 | Mumbai: Lamington Road |
| 3 | Copper Strips | 5 | |
| 4 | Zinc Strips | 5 | |
| 5 | Paper Cups | 5 | Local Stationery |
| 6 | Water | 1 | Local Stationery |
| 6 | Salt | 1 | Home |
| 8 | Scissors | 1 | Local Stationery |
Steps to make:
- Take five paper cups and fill them with water.
- Add a spoon of salt to each cup.
- Connect two wires to the LED. Connect the copper strip to one wire, and the zinc strip to the other.
- Make the arrangement for the rest of the circuit as shown in the figure.
- The LED should light when all the wires are connected.
Working Principal:
There is a chemical reaction between the copper plate and the salt water and between the zinc plate and the salt water. These chemical reactions cause electrons to move. Since the two metals are different, the electrons get pushed harder in one direction. This leads to an electric current to flow around the circuit through the LED, lighting it up.
Concepts Explored:
- Chemical batteries
- Transformation of chemical energy to light
Reasons why the salt water battery may not work:
- Check if the wiring connections are proper.
- Increase the number of cups in the arrangement.
Further External Resources: