energy and place
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
1) How does energy production and consumption impact place?
2) How does you sense of place, environmental ethic, and understanding of our energy needs influence your perception and decisions relating to energy production and consumption?
1) How does energy production and consumption impact place?
2) How does you sense of place, environmental ethic, and understanding of our energy needs influence your perception and decisions relating to energy production and consumption?
building a simple household battery
Ethan Lotfinia, Chris Niles, Sean Nickels
Animas High School
May 2015
Abstract
The motivation for this lab was to see if it is possible to build a small battery made out of materials that can be found in most households. The problem that we were trying to solve in this lab was to see if it is possible to create an efficient battery out of common household materials and chemicals. We went about working through this lab by first gathering all the materials that we thought would be required to complete it. These materials were aluminum, zinc, copper, Drano, NaCl (salt), as well as plastic tupperware and coffee stir sticks. We had followed a basic diagram of how to build the battery. The original design was layers of aluminum and copper stacked on top of each other and separated with stir sticks while connected to alligator clips. All of this was submerged in a mixture of Drano and NaCl. The changes made to the lab consisted of replacing the aluminum that was supposed to be used with zinc. We had also tried to test a version that used aluminum instead of zinc. It was observed that the zinc generated a much higher voltage than aluminum. This experiment has shown what materials would be more efficient in a battery so companies can make better products.
Introduction
For this lab, our group decided to do an experiment in which we would build a small, simple battery using materials that could be found in most households. One reason we decided to do this lab was because our group had no prior knowledge about batteries and was curious about how we could make one. To be able to do this, we had to first gather all the materials that we would need to build the battery. A battery is able to create energy because of the electrons. The light bulb powers when electrons flow through the circuit, so knowing this the positive side of a battery holds the positively charged atoms. When the circuit is connected the electrons take this path to get to the negative side. Their spent ions move from the positive side to the negative side, however they do not connect with their lost electrons.
Methods
In this lab, drano with dissociated NaCl (table salt) was used as an electrolyte for this battery. Copper, zinc, and aluminum were used for the electrodes. The copper is used for both tests and the zinc and aluminum are used in separate tests. The metals were glued to two spacers which, in this case, were coffee stir straws. After they were glued on, alligator clips were placed on each of the metal sheets. The copper was connected with the other copper plates creating the positive charge and the zinc or aluminum was the negative charge. Both were left with an alligator clip unhooked which is where it would be hooked up to a motor. The metal plates were placed in a small container that will also house the NaCl/Drano mix. Alternate between copper and zinc or aluminum. the plastic tupperware was then filled with the drano and salt mixture. then test the battery with two different motors using a voltage meter to record the voltage and current that is produced from the reaction.
Hazards
Group members worked with stable substances throughout the entirety of the lab, with the exception of using Drano as a solution that the battery was set in. To avoid the possibility of any harm coming to group members, students had worked in a fume hood to help prevent any harmful toxins that could have been created if the drano was accidentally mixed with any other acidic substances like bleach or ammonia which would create harmful gasses. The risk of electrocution during this lab was non-existent. The voltage and current of this battery were nowhere near enough to harm any group members. Other safety precautions such as goggles and gloves were optional but not required. Getting Drano on skin was not a problem as it can be simply washed off with soap and water. Spilling Drano on clothes will result in a stain similar to that of bleach.
Results
Table 1: Battery Voltage and Current (measured at 10 and 30 seconds after reaction started)
Figure 1: Graph of Voltage and Current (measured at 10 and 30 seconds after reaction started)
The results of this lab reflect the effectiveness of the battery we made. The zinc/copper combination was able to produce small amounts of electricity when mixed with the Drano/NaCl mixture. The initial battery was able to produce just under 1.5 volts of electricity after 10 seconds of putting the Drano mixture in the container with the metals. After 30 seconds, the voltage dropped by more than 45% from the original measurement to 0.8 volts. The aluminum/copper mixture was relatively unsuccessful due largely in part to the fact that our test was not planned enough. By the time we were trying to test the second battery with the aluminum the glue that was holding the small strips of metal togeather was striping off, this could be due to the fact that we used hot glue instead silicone sealant.
Conclusion/Discussion
The results that we had collected from this lab could be important because they could provide alternative paths for people to generate electricity in their homes. This can be used as a starting experient to families looking for alternative routes of power or also as an experiment to help someone like a student better understand how a battery works. This battery we made was not revolutionary in anyway but it can be used to teach or learn basic concepts of a battery and this could help someone design a new battery The results also show that it is possible to generate electricity from home items which is surprisingly similar to the materials they use in normal batteries.
It was expected that the aluminum/copper mixture would generate more electricity, due to results collected in a previous lab, but that was proven to be wrong after we had observed that the zinc/copper mix had created a much higher electric current than that of the aluminum. This was most likely due to the lack of understanding of what we had to do for the lab. Throughout the lab we had ran into multiple different problems that we had trouble fixing, such as how we had trouble with how our metal strips with the alligator clips sat in the tupperware. we also had problems with how small our strips of copper and zinc were we tried to glue them together but it did not seem to stick well enough for us to perform the lab correctly. If we were to redo this lab we would most likely try to get larger pieces of both copper and zinc. Another thing we would do is to also try and find a different way to have the metal strips connect with the alligator clips so they can sit evenly and correctly within our container.
Animas High School
May 2015
Abstract
The motivation for this lab was to see if it is possible to build a small battery made out of materials that can be found in most households. The problem that we were trying to solve in this lab was to see if it is possible to create an efficient battery out of common household materials and chemicals. We went about working through this lab by first gathering all the materials that we thought would be required to complete it. These materials were aluminum, zinc, copper, Drano, NaCl (salt), as well as plastic tupperware and coffee stir sticks. We had followed a basic diagram of how to build the battery. The original design was layers of aluminum and copper stacked on top of each other and separated with stir sticks while connected to alligator clips. All of this was submerged in a mixture of Drano and NaCl. The changes made to the lab consisted of replacing the aluminum that was supposed to be used with zinc. We had also tried to test a version that used aluminum instead of zinc. It was observed that the zinc generated a much higher voltage than aluminum. This experiment has shown what materials would be more efficient in a battery so companies can make better products.
Introduction
For this lab, our group decided to do an experiment in which we would build a small, simple battery using materials that could be found in most households. One reason we decided to do this lab was because our group had no prior knowledge about batteries and was curious about how we could make one. To be able to do this, we had to first gather all the materials that we would need to build the battery. A battery is able to create energy because of the electrons. The light bulb powers when electrons flow through the circuit, so knowing this the positive side of a battery holds the positively charged atoms. When the circuit is connected the electrons take this path to get to the negative side. Their spent ions move from the positive side to the negative side, however they do not connect with their lost electrons.
Methods
In this lab, drano with dissociated NaCl (table salt) was used as an electrolyte for this battery. Copper, zinc, and aluminum were used for the electrodes. The copper is used for both tests and the zinc and aluminum are used in separate tests. The metals were glued to two spacers which, in this case, were coffee stir straws. After they were glued on, alligator clips were placed on each of the metal sheets. The copper was connected with the other copper plates creating the positive charge and the zinc or aluminum was the negative charge. Both were left with an alligator clip unhooked which is where it would be hooked up to a motor. The metal plates were placed in a small container that will also house the NaCl/Drano mix. Alternate between copper and zinc or aluminum. the plastic tupperware was then filled with the drano and salt mixture. then test the battery with two different motors using a voltage meter to record the voltage and current that is produced from the reaction.
Hazards
Group members worked with stable substances throughout the entirety of the lab, with the exception of using Drano as a solution that the battery was set in. To avoid the possibility of any harm coming to group members, students had worked in a fume hood to help prevent any harmful toxins that could have been created if the drano was accidentally mixed with any other acidic substances like bleach or ammonia which would create harmful gasses. The risk of electrocution during this lab was non-existent. The voltage and current of this battery were nowhere near enough to harm any group members. Other safety precautions such as goggles and gloves were optional but not required. Getting Drano on skin was not a problem as it can be simply washed off with soap and water. Spilling Drano on clothes will result in a stain similar to that of bleach.
Results
Table 1: Battery Voltage and Current (measured at 10 and 30 seconds after reaction started)
Figure 1: Graph of Voltage and Current (measured at 10 and 30 seconds after reaction started)
The results of this lab reflect the effectiveness of the battery we made. The zinc/copper combination was able to produce small amounts of electricity when mixed with the Drano/NaCl mixture. The initial battery was able to produce just under 1.5 volts of electricity after 10 seconds of putting the Drano mixture in the container with the metals. After 30 seconds, the voltage dropped by more than 45% from the original measurement to 0.8 volts. The aluminum/copper mixture was relatively unsuccessful due largely in part to the fact that our test was not planned enough. By the time we were trying to test the second battery with the aluminum the glue that was holding the small strips of metal togeather was striping off, this could be due to the fact that we used hot glue instead silicone sealant.
Conclusion/Discussion
The results that we had collected from this lab could be important because they could provide alternative paths for people to generate electricity in their homes. This can be used as a starting experient to families looking for alternative routes of power or also as an experiment to help someone like a student better understand how a battery works. This battery we made was not revolutionary in anyway but it can be used to teach or learn basic concepts of a battery and this could help someone design a new battery The results also show that it is possible to generate electricity from home items which is surprisingly similar to the materials they use in normal batteries.
It was expected that the aluminum/copper mixture would generate more electricity, due to results collected in a previous lab, but that was proven to be wrong after we had observed that the zinc/copper mix had created a much higher electric current than that of the aluminum. This was most likely due to the lack of understanding of what we had to do for the lab. Throughout the lab we had ran into multiple different problems that we had trouble fixing, such as how we had trouble with how our metal strips with the alligator clips sat in the tupperware. we also had problems with how small our strips of copper and zinc were we tried to glue them together but it did not seem to stick well enough for us to perform the lab correctly. If we were to redo this lab we would most likely try to get larger pieces of both copper and zinc. Another thing we would do is to also try and find a different way to have the metal strips connect with the alligator clips so they can sit evenly and correctly within our container.
reflection
During this project I learned that many things around us in our daily lives can be used to generate energy. My particular scientific investigation revolved around the idea that common household items could be used to craft a makeshift battery. Due to the fairly simple nature of this experiment, I was able to learn that the resources used to create energy can be found all around us, even under your sink.
In my infographic, I was trying to provide a comparison between coal power and nuclear power. Since the more words you have in something, the more bias it carries, I decided to have as little words as possible and just let the facts do the talking. I wanted to show this comparison because everyone knows that coal is the dirtiest energy source on the planet but also because nuclear power is such a controversial topic. I wanted to shed some light on the things that people most often look at and consider when doing anything related to energy on a large scale.
In my infographic, I was trying to provide a comparison between coal power and nuclear power. Since the more words you have in something, the more bias it carries, I decided to have as little words as possible and just let the facts do the talking. I wanted to show this comparison because everyone knows that coal is the dirtiest energy source on the planet but also because nuclear power is such a controversial topic. I wanted to shed some light on the things that people most often look at and consider when doing anything related to energy on a large scale.