Orange as an Alternative Source of Electricity

Abstract

Energy cannot be created nor destroyed but can only be transformed from one form to another. Batteries are common energy sources that convert chemical energy to electrical energy. Most of the gadgets and electronic devices we have today use batteries. It is important to be resourceful and think of innovative ways to create electrical energy. One way is to create a battery out of readily available fruits like oranges or even locally available fruits like pineapples. The objective of the study is to create an alternative source of energy by using oranges. The study aims to identify the properties of an orange that makes it a good source of electricity. 1. Carefully squeeze the orange using your own hands to contain juice inside. 2. The nails were inserted into the fruit, approximately 2 inches apart. Both ends (sharp tips) of the nails were positioned in the center of the orange without touching both tips. 3. The insulation around both ends of the LED bulb wires (the leads) was removed to expose the wire underneath (about 1") using a pair of scissors. 4. One of the exposed wires was wrapped around the head of the galvanized (zinc) nail. 5. The other exposed wire was then wrapped around the head of the copper nail. 6. Electrical tape was used to strengthen connections. 7. Three other oranges were obtained, and the same procedure (1-6) was done for each. 8. All of the oranges were then connected to one another. 9. With both wires securely wrapped around the nails, the LED light bulb instantly lighted up. The battery is made up of two different metals (the zinc nails and the copper nails). These are called electrodes, which are the parts of a battery where electric current enters or leaves the battery. The electrodes are placed in a liquid containing an electrolyte, which is a solution that can conduct electricity. The copper nail served as the cathode, while the zinc nail acted as the anode. "The terms cathode and anode are used to refer to terminals of a polarized electrical device. Using oranges, a simple battery was created, which powered an LED light. In the experiment, an orange battery was created using four oranges, zinc nails, and copper nails. The juice in the orange served as the electrolyte, while the zinc and copper nails served as the anode and the cathode, respectively. After connecting all of the single orange batteries together with wire from the light bulb, it produced enough voltage to power an LED light.