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Originally Posted by Oznog I don't think the message got to you.
The electrode metals provide the energy, and are fundamentally consumed in the reaction, because you can't get energy for free. The lemon or potato acts as an electrolyte and is just a carrier medium. Salt water works some too. Acids/bases work better than salt water, whether you need an acid or base depends on the plate material.
When the battery is run down, washing out the electrolyte (lemon juice) and replacing it with a fresh lemon will not restore power. To restore the batt would mean replacing the consumable plates.
So unless you can come up with a tree which refines copper/zinc/lead/etc into a higher energy state, it won't be the basis for a battery. |
I do understand that the metal is the consumable, but the electrolyte does need to be replaced or refreshed as well, long before the metal is all used up.
The idea was to use the fruit on the tree. The acid is pretty weak, and the voltage/current low, figure the metal should last at least one growing season.
14th May 2008, 04:30 AM
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