Since Ms Zhang suggested "how do you know if other substances produce electricity?", I will be listing the ingredients of the product (if it comes in a bottle) and the nutritional information of that product. I will also test to see if sugar has any effect on the electricity by mixing sugar and water until saturated and using the metals to see if sugar produces any electricity.
I have planned my experiment so that the first 2 weeks of term, I will be doing some background research and writing up the method, then be carrying out the experiment in the following 4 weeks (week 3-7). And in the last two weeks I will be finishing the experiment.
Fingers crossed the experiment will work properly. :)
Took 4eva to merge the two graphs in photoshop... but I managed, and here it is... :D
It's not the best quality, but its easy to upload.
Some of the equipment I found in the garage:
Multimeter Digital Calipers
The list of equipment that I need is:
Multimeter- Cups
- Zinc and Copper
Digital Caliper (to measure the thickness of metals)pH paper- Vinegar
- Coca Cola
- Lemon juice
- Black Tea
- Green Tea
- Orange juice
- Tomato Sauce
- Sugar
- Wires
- Tap Water
Light Bulb and Socket- Measuring jug
- 1.5 volt AA battery
- 9v battery
I'll cross it off when I've found/bought them.
Idk where to get the light bulb socket. Dick Smith should have it, but when I went to the Rockdale and CBD one, I couldn't find it. :(. Also does anyone know where you can get pH paper? ... Maybe Bunnings? I have all the other equipment.... just can't find those ones.
Please comment!!!
The hypothesis for the experiment is that the more acidic the liquid, the more electricity will be produced. xD
HELLO AGAIN! =D
Quick Update: Well after spending a lot of time deciding, I have decided that I will do the second experiment. The one with the different household acids. I might change my mind, however that is what I want to do right now. Have any other suggestions?
These are (hopefully) all the independent and dependent variables.
Idea 1:
Independent variable/s: The types metals used, amount of metal used and the amount of vinegar used
Dependent variable/s: Voltage produced, current produced, how bright the light bulb is and how the light bulb glows for.
Idea 2:
Independent Variable/s: The type of liquid, amount of liquid used, temperature of liquid, voltage of light bulb (if used) and the same type of pH paper used.
Dependent Variable/s: Voltage produced, current produced, how bright the light bulb is and how long the light bulb glows for.
Idea 3:
Independent Variable/s: Type of artificial sweetener, amount of artificial sweetener, concentration of artificial sweetener (i.e. liquid or crystal), temperature with water, amount of water, type of yeast and the amount of yeast.
Dependent Variable/s: The reaction with yeast.
Quick Brief on Ideas:
- Using various common conductors (ie. zinc, steel, etc.) to see which combination produces the highest current and voltage. Use different metals, ie small sheets of copper, iron, zinc, magnesium and aluminum, and cut to the same size. Measure 250mls of vinegar and pour into a cup. Stick a combination of the two sheets of metals into soft drink, on different sides of the cup, making sure the two metals don't touch each other. Use a multimeter to measure the current and voltage.
Equipment Needed
- similar sheets of different metal
- metal cutters or good scissors
- vinegar
- multimeter
- Cups
- Measuring jug
- Using different acids (lemon, coke, etc.) you find around the home to make electricity by suspending zinc and copper into it, then see which acid makes the most electricity, and whether the more acidic means that they are better at producing electricity. Using different liquids that contain acids (ie soft drinks, vinegar, lemon juice, coffee, and tea), and use water as a control. Measure 250 mls of one liquid and pour it into a cup. Measure and record the liquid's pH. Suspend the zinc and copper into the cup, without touching each other. Either measure the current and voltage with a multimeter and connect the sides of the metal, that is not in the liquid, to a light bulb. Observe how long the light bulb glows and measure the current and voltage. Record results. Repeat with the other liquids.
Equipment Needed
- wires and light bulb
- Multimeter (instrument that measures many
- different liquids that contain acids
- water
- cups
- copper strips
- zinc strips
- Measuring jug
- pH paper/pH kit
- Using different artificial sweeteners to see which of them reacts best with yeast. Using either all liquid or all solid artificial sweetener to keep the experiment fair. Mix some 20grams artificial sweetener with 10mls of warm water. Pour into a bowl. Do this again with the other sweeteners, also use sucrose as a control. Pour the 5g yeast into each bowl at the same time (use some extra hands, ie parents, sisters, friends). Observe the changes in each bowl. According to this website: http://www.chemie.uni-regensburg.de/Organische_Chemie/Didaktik/Keusch/D-fermentation_sugar-e.htm, the more bubbles there are, the better the reaction
Equipment Needed:
- Dried Yeast
- Artificial Sweeteners
- Cane Sugar
- Bowls/ containers that are the same
- warm water
- hands =)
- measuring cylinder
- kitchen scales
There might be things that I've missed.... =)
Note: Ms Zhang. Are all these experiments Okay??
Any suggestions for experiments?? I'm still deciding... But I don't want to do anything that involves the environment or surveying people.
O.K, settled on a few ideas:
- Using various common conductors (ie. zinc, steel, etc.) to see which combination produces the highest current and voltage.
- Using different acids (lemon, coke, etc.) you find around the home to make electricity by suspending zinc and copper into it, then see which acid makes the most electricity.
- Using different artificial sweeteners to see which of them reacts best with yeast
Thought about topics... Cant decide...
Can't think of any good ones...
