TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT

CHAPTER 1

Introduction and its Background...................................................4

Statement of the Problem..............................................................5

Formulation of the Hypothesis......................................................6

Significance of the Study...............................................................6

Scope and Limitation.....................................................................6

Definition of Terms.......................................................................6-7

CHAPTER 2

Review of Related Literature..........................................................8

CHAPTER 3

Methodology..................................................................................16

The Subject of the Study................................................................16

The Procedure................................................................................16

CHAPTER 4

Presentation, Analysis and Interpretation of Data..........................18

Results.............................................................................................18

CHAPTER 5

Summary.........................................................................................20

Conclusion.......................................................................................20

Recommendation............................................................................. 21

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REFERENCES......................................................................................22

FIGURES

Fig. 1 Average Fruit Voltage.........................................................

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 ABSTRACT

The overall purpose of this study is to demonstrate that fruits can be a potential source of energy

and in some instances, they can be used for emergencies and educational purposes for students

such as us learning this. This research can provide us knowledge about the source of energies

coming out a fruit. Knowing the overall purpose of this research lets jump right in to the

problems about this research we investigated. The main problem is "can fruits really generate

electricity or energy" the second problem is "how many volts can each fruit generate and the

amount of volts it can generate" and the next problem is "which fruit generates the most

electricity" and the last problem of this research is "why do we need to buy fruits to have a

source of energy when we have modern technology by our side" well we have answers to that.

Fruits can really generate electricity because you can turn their chemical energy into electrical

energy. We have 4 examples of fruits that shows their volts generated. Lemons, oranges, kiwi,

and a tomato. They all generate volts. but the highest one is the lemon because of the lemon's

acidity. The basic design of this study is experimental.

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 CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Can you imagine how your life would change if batteries did not exist? If it were not for

this handy way to store electrical energy, we would not be able to have all of our portable

electronic devices, such as phones, tablets and laptop computers. So many other items—from

remote-control cars to flashlights to hearing aids—would also need to be plugged into a wall

outlet in order to function.

The first battery was created in 1799 by a man named Alessandro Volta. A battery is a

device that changes chemical energy into electrical energy. Batteries need three parts. The most

important factor in a battery is its electrical relationship between the two metals used in the

battery. Some metals give electrons away while others accept extra electrons. Fruits are a simple

type of electrical battery that is commonly made for experimenting because it illustrates the

battery’s main components. The 3 most basic parts of fruits that create electricity/voltage are:

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Electrodes:

When stuck inside the fruit, a zinc nail and a copper wire, rod or coin become the electrodes,

which are conductors through which electric current is passed.

Electrolytes:

Just like a battery, the electrolyte is a substance that, in solution or when molten, ionizes and

conducts electricity; these are the juices of the fruit/vegetable.

Conductors:

Certain materials called conductors, allow electrons to flow through them. Most metals are good

conductors for electricity. Electrons will flow from the electrode of a battery and through a

conductor.

In a piece of fruit there are acidic substances. When you make a fruit battery the chemical

energy in the acid is converted into electrical energy, just like a regular battery, thus creating a

circuit and generating a small amount of electricity. This particular experiment shows that fruits

can generate electricity.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

This study aims to answer the following questions:

1. Can fruits really generate electricity?

2. How many volts of electricity does each fruit can generate?

3. Which fruit generates the most electricity?

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1.3 Formulation of the Hypothesis

The researcher believes that lemon will generate the most amount of electricity because it has the

highest acidity compared to other fruits.

1.4 Significance of the Study

The significance of this study is that it can demonstrate that fruits can be a potential source of

energy and in some instances, they can be used for emergency purposes.

1.5 Scope and Limitation

The extent of this experiment would cover the use of fresh fruits. This limitation is set in order to

prevent other factors that would alter the fruit's acidity like the preservatives used in packaged

fruits available in supermarkets. (lemon, orange and tomato)

1.6 Definition of Terms

For better understanding of this study, the researchers gave several terms that were defined as

used in the study.

Battery - a device that converts stored chemical energy into electrical energy

Citric Acid – a weak acid occurs naturally from citrus fruits.

Conductor - a material that allows electricity to flow through it easily.

Insulator - a material that does not allow electricity to flow through it easily

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Electricity - (from Greek, meaning “amber”) phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of

electric charge; includes: lightning, static electricity, electromagnetic field, and electromagnetic

induction.

Electric Current - is a flow of electric charge. In electric circuits this charge is often carried by

moving electrons in a wire.

Electron - subatomic particle possessing a negative (-) electric charge.

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 CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

Continually being made aware of the expensive cost of oil which fuels most of our

electricity. The researcher decided to experiment an alternative method producing electricity

with chemicals, solar, wind, and water. These can be fuels of energy sometimes the weather

cooperates.

Stoney, (1891) an Irish-English physicist, after much scientific work, introduced the word

“electron”, which described the smallest unit of a negative charge.

Fessenden (1901) conducted early experiments with transmitting the sound of a voice and

invented a vacuum tube called the “electrolyte detector”. Vacuum tubes are glass tubes with

almost entirely removed. Electrodes with wires go through the glass, joining electrodes to

batteries causing electrons to flow through the vacuum tube. Vacuum tubes were able to mix,

amplify, and separate weak electrical currents. The development of vacuum tubes eventually led

to the invention of radios and television.

Millikan (1909) who received the Nobel prize, performed an oil drop experiment to show

that Stoney’s electrons did exist and were related to atoms. William Shockley, Jr., along with

John Bardeen, Jr., American physicist, invented the transistor, and were awarded the Nobel prize

in Physics in 1956. Their discovery led to California’s “Silicon Valley” becoming the center of

electronics innovation.

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 By the 1960s, transistors began to replace vacuum tubes in electrical equipment, since

they were smaller and used less energy. Transistors were able to fit on a single chip called an

integrated circuit. This was huge development leading to our modern-day electrical equipment

such as computers and cell phones.

Without early physicists performing their experiments and without the developments that

resulted none of the electrical equipment that we are using today would be possible. The modern

evolution of computers, cell phones, iPods, iPhones, are all a result of this physicists

progressively experimenting and understand electricity and how it works. However, it is

imperative that we find a cheaper way to produce an electricity for our day to day living. Our

experiment is to show that perhaps excess fruit, containing could be used to produce electricity,

especially in the poorer nations which cannot afford to purchase expensive fossil fuel. Because

of the rising cost of fuel which results in more expensive electricity costs. We decided to look at

an alternative method of producing electricity. The experiments performed by the early

physicists have led to the emergence of the electrical equipment we used today. George

Johnstone Stoney introduced the word “electron” in 1891, followed by Reginald Fessenden’s

invention of the “electrolyte doctor” or vacuum tube in 1901. In 1909 Roger Millikan, Nobel

prize winner, proved that Stoney’s e electrons did exist, and were related to atoms. Leading to

the modern electronics of today, was the invention of the transistor by William Shockley, Jr., and

John Barden, Jr., U.S. physicist of the 1950s. The evolution of computer, cell phones, iPhones

are all a result of the early physicists progressively experimenting.

Since acid is a conductor of electricity, we have decided to prove that a lemon, being the

sourest, is better battery than other fruits or vegetables.

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 Materials used were one lemon, one grapefruit, one potato, one orange, three ½ inch

galvanized nails, three ½ copper nails, and an Innova 3300-volt meter. Each fruit and vegetable

were cut in half, and a copper and galvanized nail, exactly two inches apart, where inserted into

each fruit and vegetable. To read the electrical charge, each of the nails was touched with the

volt meter.

After conducting two experiments, the result showed that the potato generated the most

voltage charge. The refuted my hypothesis that a lemon, containing more citric acid, would

make the best battery.

In order t generate electricity, there must be a power source and a complete circuit.

When in using a citrus fruit to create electricity, these rules still apply. In a simple experiment

using a citrus fruit, the components of the circuit include: a lemon or other fruit, wire, two

different metal elements and a small light bulb. The lemon in this circuit serves as the battery

and power source. Two metals often used in this demonstration are zinc and copper. The acidic

juice of the lemon dissolves small amounts of the two metals and their electrons react with other.

The negatively charged ions travel through the wires, creating an electrical current. (Electricity

is the movement of electrons.) This demonstration is closed circuit, which allows electrons to

flow from the power source and back again, with no breaks.

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 Organic acids as well as soluble sugars contribute highly to flavor and overall quality of

citrus fruit. Citric acid level I fruits is influenced by several factors including environmental

conditions. In this study, it was observed that different environments in two habitats (Ganzhou,

Jiangxi; Songyang, Zhejiang) had minor effects on total soluble solids and citrus color index but

had significant effects on organic acids levels, particularly on citric acid level, in fruit of

“Newhall” and “Skaggs Bonanza” navel oranges (Citrus synesis). Expression of genes involved

in citric acid biosynthesis and degradation.

The concept of using fruits as batteries has been around for a very long time – but a team

at University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus is taking it to a whole different level.

A lemon battery is a device that features in many school projects. The energy for the

battery is not in the lemon as such – the electricity is generated by the chemical reaction from

electrodes placed in the lemon that react with the fruit’s citric acid. A team of researchers at

University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus (UNMC) is approaching the “fruit” battery from an

entirely different angle. According to an article on SciDev.Net; bamboo, coconut shells and the

skin of durian fruit can be turned activated carbon; which among other things is used in the

construction of batteries known as ‘supercapacitors.

Supercapacitors are devices to deliver large amounts of energy in a short space of time

and can be recharged much faster than deep cycle batteries. Supercapacitors also have a far

longer serviceable life than other current battery technologies; meaning, less battery related

waste.

In this science fair project, construct batteries from various fruits and test them to see

which one will produce the most electric current. Then, determine if it would be practical to use

fruit as a natural source for generating electricity.

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 Sadly, our post-apocalyptic wanderer is in for a very disappointing evening. He or she

will soon discover that attempting to power an iPod with a Gatorade-soaked onion doesn’t work.

Many Internet users today have made the same discovery after the video in question, produced

by the Website HouseholdHacker.com.

First, let’s examine the idea of powering any electronic device with a fruit or vegetable.

The concept is believable because you can create battery with a few potatoes. This experiment is

science class favorite because it helps demonstrate how the galvanic cells that make up a car

battery wok.

Some batteries use galvanic cells to transfer chemical energy into electric energy. They

depend on two metals, a cathode or positive terminal (such as copper) and an anode or negative

terminal (such as zinc). These are placed in an electrically conductive solution that allows ions

to travel freely between the two metals. Car batteries use sulfuric acid, but potatoes contain

phosphoric acid, which also works. The acid steadily eats away at the zinc, a chemical reaction

that releases spare zinc electrons. These electrons then join with spare hydrogen ions in the acid

to create hydrogen gas.

Meanwhile, the copper isn’t doing anything in its acid bath – that is until you connect

directly to the zinc using a thin, conductive wire. The spare zinc electrons are still intent on

forming hydrogen gas, but they have an easier time doing it with the hydrogen surrounding the

zinc anode. So, the electrons from the copper cathode travel through the wire get to the zinc.

Batteries exploit this flow of electrons allowing us to use their combined electricity.

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 Potato batteries typically use as zinc galvanized nail and a copper penny. The two metals

are stuck into the potato and connected with a conductive wire. The potato isn’t the only

supermarket item that meets the mandatory chemical requirements. You can conduct the

experiment with any fruit or vegetable – or an electrolyte solution such as Gatorade, which also

contains phosphoric acid.

“The fruit or vegetables can’t conduct on its own. It needs something to drive the ions,”

Takhistov said. “When you insert two different metals and connect them with wire, you create

an electrical circuit. Then, when this material is brought in contact with the electrolytes, the

battery reaction starts to generate the voltage. Because of the difference in electrical potential

energy between the two metals the positive and negative ions will begin to move freely.

But could a potato battery power, for example, a phone? Probably not.

A potato battery can produce only about 1.2 volts of energy. Takhistov said you would

need to link many potato batteries in parallel to create enough of a current to charge a device like

a phone or tablet. “At that point,” Takhistov said, “it’s probably just easier to use your phone

charger.”

Throughout history engineering of electricity has revolutionized tremendously. Starting

in 1752 with a tying of a key onto a kite, to 2012 with cars running on electricity. Electricity is

one of the world’s greatest discoveries of all time. Electricity is a form of energy. It is used

throughout millions-billions of homes throughout the world, to power so many things.

Electricity comes from so many things, like burning of fuels, or even solar panels. But one thing

that I thought of was what if fruits and vegetables could produce electricity? Throughout our

experiment we want to discover if electricity is produced through a potato, if it is how much is

produced and why?

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 Potatoes are vegetables. They contain high amounts of vitamins, fiber, and starch.

Potatoes give us energy. The fact that potatoes have energy plays a big part in their ability to

give of electricity. According to www.knowswhy.com, “Potatoes in general do not store

electricity.” In research I read information about potatoes being used as batteries to power

clocks. Potatoes do not store energy like an actual battery; they simply give electricity the ability

to flow through its starch salt and water in order to power the clock.

To add variables to my project I changed the different types of potatoes we will use. One

of the potatoes we will use to conduct my experiment is a sweet potato. According to

www.webmd.boots.com/healthy, “Sweet potatoes are already high in antioxidants with seven

times more polyphenols than white potatoes. Thanks to our research we strongly feel that the

sweet potato will conduct the most electricity out of all three potatoes.

Another big question we had while researching our project was “What is the role of the

zinc and copper electrodes?” According to http://www.bristolwatch.com/pdf/dc ohms law.pdf.

“The electrical conductivity of any falls between the metals that went into them. Brass is a better

conductor than zinc, but not as good as copper. In copper wire we use pure copper to make the

best conductor. We also learned from this source that silver is in fact the best conductor of

electricity but is too high in price to use in our wires. All of this information connects to our

project simply by saying that we are using some of the best conductors for electricity. If we

wanted to take this experiment even further, we could add the variables of using silver in replace

of zinc since it is not the strongest element used to conduct electricity. Another very interesting

fact we found out through research was: the first battery that was designed in 1799 created by a

man named Alessandro Volta. He used zinc and copper metal in his design of the battery.

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 Fruits and vegetables contain important vitamins and minerals human bodies need to

survive and maintain themselves properly. However, interestingly, these same fruits and

vegetables also contain a large amount of water and thus, can in some cases conduct electricity

well. Other ingredients such as citric and ascorbic acid increases the conductivity, and in some

cases, the acidic content is high to create voltage that can power small electronics.

Potatoes, onions, and tomatoes conduct electricity quite well. Tomatoes (not vegetables,

strictly speaking) are good conductors in the vegetable category, as they have the highest acidity

level. Scientists have shown potatoes work very well as batteries. Acids make ions, charged

particles when placed in a solution like, water, which many types of fruits and vegetables contain

in abundance

Citrus fruits work as excellent due, again, to their high acidity level and the presence of

water within them. Some notable examples of good conductors include apples, grapefruit,

oranges, lemons, and limes.

When a fruit or vegetable is connected with electrodes in a circuit, the fruit or vegetables

serves as the battery to complete the circuit. Some of them can even power small light bulbs for a

time. Some researchers have shown that boiling a potato for around eight minutes can increase

its capacity as a battery 10 times compared to a raw potato. Sandwiching a quarter of a boiled

potato between a copper cathode and a zinc anode can power a lightbulb for 40 days.

Perhaps not surprisingly, several pieces of fruit or vegetables connected in a parallel

circuit creates a higher current. If the fruit or vegetables are connected in a series arrangement,

the voltage is increased. This, in turn, can be used to power increasingly complex machines and

electronics like a sandwich.

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 CHAPTER III

METHODS AND PROCEDURES

Materials:

Fruits – Medium sized Voltmeter

Lemon Galvanized Nail

Orange Alligator Clips

Tomato

Procedure:

1. Assemble all the equipment needed to perform the experiment.

2. Cut a small slit through the skin of the fruit to be tested. The slit should be large enough to

insert the copper penny about halfway into the fruit. Adult supervision is recommended for this

step. You want the penny to stay firmly in place so don’t cut the slit too large.

3. Insert the penny and the nail into the fruit. The penny should fit nicely into the slit you’ve

already made. The nail should be pushed into the lemon about 2 centimeters away from the

penny.

These items will serve as the positive and negative ends of your battery.

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Note: The metals need to be close to each other in order for the necessary chemical reaction to

take place. Be careful not to have the nail and penny touch within each lemon. If they touch, the

battery will short circuit and you won’t get any voltage. Make sure the penny and the nail are

deep enough to be in contact with the juice of the lemon.

4. Attach the alligator clips to the nail and penny. Using the end clips of the voltmeter, attach one

clip to the nail and the other clip to the penny. You should see a small increase in voltage on the

voltmeter. If the voltmeter is reading a negative value, simply switch the clips on the nail and

penny and it should change to a positive voltage.

Note: If the voltage is very low, try moving the nail closer to the penny.

5. Record the result.

6. Repeat the procedures 2 – 5 on each fruit.

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 CHAPTER IV

PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

DATA PRESENTATION

The following data came from the experiment done by the researchers.

TABLE 1

Lemon Orange Tomato

Trial 1 0.03 0.03 0.02

Trial 2 0.02 0.06 0.02

Trial 3 0.03 0.06 0.01

Average 0.02 0.05 0.03

Generated Electricity
0.07

0.06

0.05

0.04

0.03

0.02

0.01

0
Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Average

Lemon Orange Tomato

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Explanation

After performing the experiment, the researchers found out that the orange fruit generates the

greatest electricity compared to lemon.

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 CHAPTER V

Summary

The first battery was created in 1799 by Alessandro Volta. A battery is a device that changes

chemical energy. This particular experiment shows what fruit can produce the highest voltage

making it the best conductor of electricity. The researchers believed that fruits with an acidic

content will be an effective electricity conductor. The result will benefit and improve the

environment and its people. This experiment will mainly use fruits such as lemon, orange and

tomato, but will include a penny, nail and alligator clip.

An experiment was conducted by the Grade 6 student of Our Lady of Perpetual Succor College

on what fruit can generate electricity. The researchers followed the necessary procedures. On the

first trial lemon and orange produced the same amount of voltage. On the second trial, orange

produced more than lemon. Orange still has more voltage than lemon on the last trial. The

experiment was conducted, and created a reasonable and valid result. Out of the three fruits that

we used in the experiment, orange produced an average of 0.05 volts, lemon produced an

average of 0.03 volts and tomato produced an average of 0.02 volts.

Conclusion

It states that in the hypothesis that the lemon will generate the most amount of voltage

making it the most reliable conductor of electricity because it has the highest acidity content

compare to the other fruits. Based on the data that have been gathered with the help of the

experiment, orange is a better conductor of electricity than lemon.

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Recommendation

The researcher recommends that more variations of fruit with different components to be

tested on what fruits create a higher voltage making it useful in conducting electricity.

Specifically, Filipino citrus fruits.

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Reference

https://sciencestruck.com/why-do-citrus-fruits-conduct-electricity

https://www.scientificamerica.com/article/generate-electricity-with -a-lemon-battery

https://www.bartleby.com/essay/Orange-and-Lemon-Can-Produce-Electricity-Chemistry-

F3TAPCA5HKG4Z

https://sciencing.com/make-electricity-using-orange-8160788.html

https://www.thoughtco.com/how-to-make-a-fruit-battery-605970

https://explorable.com/fruit-battery-experiment

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