Vivian Leida

3/11/19
3 Vogl
Thermochemistry: You Have the Power
Our Project:
For our project we chose to design a battery that uses metals and electrolytes to create
energy. We stacked one zinc sheet, a felt sheet, and a copper sheet on top of one another to create
voltaic cells. Once the voltaic cells were stacked it created a strong amount of voltage. Our
energy transfers went from chemical to electrical energy in the battery and then powered the led
to produce light energy.

Here is our battery wrapped Here is the final battery cut up the
in tape in order to hold all side in order to show the inside and
the voltaic piles together. how the cells are stacked.

Modifications:
- Originally our plan was to use cardboard in between the zinc and copper. However, the
density of salt and cardboard was not enough for the energy to pass through. Due to this
issue switched to using felt. Felt was used because it can hold more salt water for a longer
period of time than the cardboard can.
- We had originally stacked our voltaic cells in fours and then taping them. After we were
done we would connect them all to make one big battery. On our last trial we decided to
just tape all the voltaic cells together. We used that create the large block shown above.
We did this because then we would not have to worry about our voltaic packs
disconnecting in the big battery.
 - We also planned to create a battery that could power a small fan. After ordering all the
materials and putting our battery together, we realized that is was not gonna be able to
power it. We had enough voltage in the battery, but lacked when it came to current. We
switched out plan and decided to light an LED.
- Originally we used only a small amount of salt to power the battery, but we added more
as our experiments went on in order to make it stronger. The salt transfers the electrons,
so the more salt the better the transfer is between electrons and zinc and electrons and
copper.

Technical Specifications:
​Definitions of energy sources manifested:
- Chemical Energy- ​The potential in a system for a reaction to occur. In pour
project the chemical energy happens in the actual battery. In the voltaic power it's
the reaction with the copper and the electrolyte and the zinc and electrolyte.

- Electrical Energy- ​How the chemical energy is released and how the electrons are
released from the battery into the wires. The electrical energy happens in the
battery and what leaves the battery.

- Light Energy- L​ ight energy is involved when you light the LED. Originally we
had thermal energy, but we had to cut that out because the LED does not produce
any heat only light energy.

Measurement of energy output:

Trial Design Issues Changed Voltage Amperage

T1 A voltaic cell Did not First design 0 0

comprised of conduct not
3x3cm electricity applicable
copper,
3x3cm
cardboard
dipped in
saltwater,
3x3cm zinc

T2 Voltaic cell Provided Switched ~0 ~0

 comprised of minimal cardboard to
copper, felt energy felt to
soaked in achieve
saltwater, higher
zinc density of
electrolytes.
Was able to
conduct
electricity

T3 Stacked 4 Connections Increased 3.7 V 56 mA

sets of 4 between each power output
voltaic cells sub pile were
into a larger poor
voltaic pile.

T4 Made one big Low Removed 4.1 V 58 mA

voltaic pile of amperage connections
all 16 voltaic between sub
cells piles to
increase
efficiency

T5 Added more Still low Salt levels in 4.5 V 58 mA

salt to amperage electrolyte
electrolyte solution
solution

T6 Added more No noticeable Tried to 4.5 V 59 mA

wire change in allow more
connections amperage flow of
to each electrons to
terminal of increase
the battery amperage

Final 16 voltaic Low Remained 4.5 V 57 mA

cells as amperage with 1 wire
described in instead of
Trial 2 multiple
stacked in
series into 1
voltaic pile
Measurement of energy transfers:

Cathode: Cu ²⁺(aq) + 2e⁻ ⟶Cu(s) = 0.337
Anode: Zn ²⁺(aq) + 2e⁻ ⟶ Zn(s) = -0.763
Potential Voltage= Cathode - Anode
pv= 0.337 - (-0.763)
pv= 1.1v
Pv x # of cells = Total Voltage
1.1 x 18 = 19.8V
Theoretical Voltage= 19.8 V
Actual Voltage= 4.5 V
First I found my cathode (copper) and my
anode (Zinc). A cathode is a negatively
charged electrode by which electrons enter an
electrical device and an anode is ​a positively
charged electrode by which the electrons
leave a device. Then I found my equation for
my potential voltage and plugged in my
numbers to get a potential voltage. I then
multiplied my potential voltage by the number
of cells in my battery, which is 18. I then
compared my theoretical voltage (19.8V) to
my actual voltage (4.5V). Theoretically we
should have had enough voltage to power our
fan, however we did not have enough current
to do so. Current is the rate at which the
electric charge flows and voltage is the
difference in the charge though the battery.

Molecular Blueprints:

This shows a closer look at
the molecular science behind
our project and why it works
to make a battery.
This is a general blueprint of
how our battery is stacked
and the movement of
electrons through the battery
in order to power the fan.
This is similar to the other
blueprints, but just designed
digitally to be a little more
clear.
Main selling points of your design:
Our design models varied in effectiveness of lighting the LED. The most effective
version of our design was 18 voltaic piles of copper, felt soaked in salt water, and zinc. That final
model was wrapped in tape all in one big block. This produced 4.5 volts and 57 mA. Being the
most effective design it was the smallest and most compact version. It had enough current and
voltage to power an LED, but not a fan. The downside of our final model was that it didn't last
more than two days. Over time the felt dried up and stopped the movement of electrons through
the metals. It also did not provide enough current to be able to power our mini fan. Overall our
product did not produce the power we wanted, but it still produced enough to power somehting
smaller. So we achieved the goal of making a working battery.