ENERGYSummary from Nästegårdsskolan

Sweden

We started with making a battery out of copper plates, galvanized nails and saltwater electrolyte (NaCl). We also made measurements with electrodes of copper and lead.

Next we changed electrolyte from NaCl (salt) to different fruits. We made the experiment in all 50 small groups and worked out an average value.There was a big difference in voltage between electrodes of Cu/Zn and electrodes of Cu/Pb.

Electrodes

Potato

Banana

Lemon Apple NaCl

Cu/Zn 0.93 V 0,88 V 0,99 V 0,95 V 0,74 V

Cu/Pb 0,31 V 0,23 V 0,33 V 0,32V 0,27 V

We also made measurement of the voltage with electrodes in different sizes and distances.

ElectrodesElectrolyte

Distance1 cm

Distance10 cm

Small Znelectrode

Large Znelectrode

Cu/ZnBanana

0.88 V 0.88 V 0.88 V 0.89 V

Conclusion:To get the greatest difference in the voltage you must change the metals (electrodes) in the ”battery”. We could see a slight difference in voltage when we changed size of electrodes or which fruit (electrolyte) we use. When we tested different distances, we could not measure any difference.

The voltage increases when the metals are far apart in the electrochemical series.

When we series circuit three fruits, with Cu/Zn electrodes, we came up in 2.28 V. The lamp shines!

The lamp requires 1, 8 V. How do we get it to shine?

Electricity production in Sweden 2013hydropower

plants 48%nuclearpower plants 38%windpower plants 4%combined heat and power 9%other 1%

Renewable and not-renewable sources

Renewable 53%

The EU has agreed that the renewable sources of energy consumption, for the Union as a whole, will increase to 20 % by 2020. In Sweden it is now about 50 % from renewable sources, highly dependent on our waterpower plants.

References:www.energimyndigheten.sewww.svenskenergi.sewww.miljomal.se