Make Your Own Voltaic cell

Level Elementary, Secondary

We can make an electric cell by using easy available materials. Let’s try it.

Concept

It is Alessandro Volta in Italy who invented the battery for the first time in 1800. That used the zinc and copper plate in the dilute sulfuric acid. This electric cell is a prototype of a dry battery today. Let's make the voltaic cell.

Materials

glass cup or glass bottle, diluted sulphuric acid (battery liquid), zinc plate, copper plate, conducting wire, clip, light emitting diode (LED), and hydrogen peroxide solution

Procedure

1. The zinc plate and the copper plate are put in the glass cup.
2. Diluted sulfuric acid is put.
3. The zinc plate and the copper plate are connected to the conducting wire. Because the voltage is low in one, it connects in series by two
   or more.
4. It is connected to LED. The bubble of hydrogen attach to the surface of the copper plate soon. It becomes the insulator and the electric current is getting weaker. The bubble can be taken by putting the hydrogen peroxide solution and the current revives.

Science

Volta discovered the ionization tendency while advancing this research.Ionization series to water is below.

Li, K, Ca, Na, Mg, Al, Zn, Fe, Ni, Sn, Pb, (H), Cu, Hg, Ag, Pt, Au

In the voltaic cell, the metal which becomes ion easier than hydrogen is used for n

egative pole. And the metal which is more difficult to become ion than hydrogen is used positive pole.In this battery, zinc melts to sulfuric acid and it becomes a zinc ion.The electron is left for the electrode at this time. This electron flows in the conducting wire and reaches the copper plate. The electron is
given to the hydrogen ion here, and the hydrogen gas is produced.

Questions

Q: Let’s make sure that each combination will make electric current or not.
Source: Chemistry Experiments