Metal finishing Q&As since 1989

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Potato voltage

hi I am doing an experiment where I put potatoes in different liquids and see if the voltage is affected. one of my liquids is lemon juice. would citric acid help raise the voltage or would it counteract the potato? Respond ASAP. I need help. I am in 6th grade.

Violet R
student - NYC,NY,USA
December 16, 2009

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December 17, 2009

Hi, Violet. I don't understand your experimental setup, so you might want to expound on that. But don't ruin your experiment and poison the science by trying to get the "right" result. Do the experiment, and whatever answer the experiment produces is the right answer.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

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If I'm remembering my introductory chemistry correctly, the voltage generated by a potato battery is mostly dependent on the metals used as electrodes. The potato is just a conductive medium, other constructs such as a salt bath with a semipermeable membrane separating the electrodes work similarly.

But as Ted said, if you have an experimental procedure already, just follow the steps and record what happens.

I think the major obstacle would be how much the potato even absorbs the liquid you are introducing, I have no idea how well or how quickly a potato will do that. If you can introduce something to the potato that increases its conductivity you may indeed see an improvement in the current generated.

Ray Kremer
Stellar Solutions, Inc.

McHenry, Illinois

December 30, 2009