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Build Your Own Battery!, Cheat Sheet of Engineering

Southern Illinois University (SIU) - CarbondaleEngineering

A step-by-step guide for building a homemade battery and experimenting with different materials to optimize its performance. It covers the basics of battery construction, including the use of electrodes, electrolytes, and separators. The activity encourages users to explore various combinations of metals, electrolytes, and membranes to create the most efficient battery. The goal is to emulate the work of argonne scientists and engineers who are developing the next generation of batteries. Detailed instructions, materials lists, and data tables for recording observations and measurements. By completing this activity, users can gain a better understanding of battery technology and the scientific principles behind it.

Typology: Cheat Sheet

2023/2024

Uploaded on 08/20/2024

jeffrey-reed
jeffrey-reed 🇺🇸

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Build Your Own Battery!
Make your own battery and share it with Argonne Education!
From toys and equipment to cars and renewable energy-batteries are everywhere! Batteries have come a long way since
Alessandro Volta made the first true battery in 1800. Overtime
batteries have advanced with technology and evolved for our ever-
changing needs.
Argonne scientists and engineers are working together to develop
the next generation of cheaper, more powerful batteries. In this
activity, you will build a homemade battery and experiment with
different materials to optimize your battery—just like Argonne
researchers!
Materials:
• “My Battery” sheet & pencil
o Print ours from the last page or make your own
• Electrolyte Solution
o Examples: salt water, sports drink, pop, juice, coffee, soil, etc…
• 6-Pennies (pre-1982) or 1” Copper Disks
• 6-1/2"Aluminum Foil Squares or 1” Aluminum Disks
• Paper Towel
• Small LED light bulb
o Substitutions: dollar store solar calculator, battery operated candle, stopwatch etc.
• Zinc washers or other metal disks
• Additional electrolyte solutions
o Examples: salt water, sports drink, pop, juice, coffee, soil, etc..
• Different types of paper
o Examples: coffee filter paper, construction paper, computer paper
Optional Materials:
• Multimeter
• 2 Alligator wire leads
o Substitutions: copper wire, aluminum foil
pf3
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Download Build Your Own Battery! and more Cheat Sheet Engineering in PDF only on Docsity!

Build Your Own Battery!

Make your own battery and share it with Argonne Education!

From toys and equipment to cars and renewable energy-batteries are everywhere! Batteries have come a long way since Alessandro Volta made the first true battery in 1800. Overtime batteries have advanced with technology and evolved for our ever- changing needs. Argonne scientists and engineers are working together to develop the next generation of cheaper, more powerful batteries. In this activity, you will build a homemade battery and experiment with different materials to optimize your battery—just like Argonne researchers!

Materials:

  • “My Battery” sheet & pencil o Print ours from the last page or make your own
  • Electrolyte Solution o Examples: salt water, sports drink, pop, juice, coffee, soil, etc…
  • 6 - Pennies (pre-1982) or 1” Copper Disks
  • 6 - 1/2"Aluminum Foil Squares or 1” Aluminum Disks
  • Paper Towel
  • Small LED light bulb o Substitutions: dollar store solar calculator, battery operated candle, stopwatch etc.
  • Zinc washers or other metal disks
  • Additional electrolyte solutions o Examples: salt water, sports drink, pop, juice, coffee, soil, etc..
  • Different types of paper o Examples: coffee filter paper, construction paper, computer paper Optional Materials:
  • Multimeter
  • 2 Alligator wire leads o Substitutions: copper wire, aluminum foil

Introduction:

Batteries come in all shapes, sizes, and materials. A basic battery has two different metal electrodes (a “positive” end and “negative” end), an electrolyte solution, and a separator or “ membrane ”. The electrolyte solution in a basic battery is the liquid, gel, or paste that allows electrical charge to flow between a negatively charged metal and a positively charged metal in a battery. The separator is a membrane keeps the two metals from touching so that the battery doesn’t short-circuit. In this activity you will:

  • Prep Materials
  • Step 1: Build a basic battery cell
  • Step2: Determine how many cells you need to power an LED light bulb
  • Step 3: Experiment with different materials.
  • Step 4: Optimize your battery and share it with Argonne Education!

Prep Your Materials

Skip this step if you are using Copper Disks

  • Make sure pennies are prior to 1982.
  • Put pennies in a “ketchup” bath. Make sure both sides are fully covered in ketchup
  • Let the pennies sit in the ketchup for about 5 minutes.
  • Wipe down and rinse pennies to get all the ketchup off. How to Create Aluminum Electrode from Aluminum Foil Skip this step if you are using Aluminum Disks
  • Cut aluminum foil into squares or circles that are about same size as the disks or pennies you plan on using. How to Cut Paper Towels Membranes
  • Cut a paper towel into squares or circles slightly larger than the disks or pennies you plan on using. How to Set-Up Multimeter- optional
  • Move the selector dial on the multimeter so that it is at “20V”. This will measure voltages up to 20V with 0.1V resolution. That batteries you will be making will be low-voltage (~0.5V-3V)
  1. Did the light turn on? Record what happened in data table,
  2. Continue to added cells by repeating steps 1-4 until the light comes on. 6. How many cells did you need to make a strong enough battery for the light to come on?

Extension Activities

Step 3 : Experiment with different materials

  1. Repeat the procedure of Step 1 and Step 2 but experiment with different electrolytes, metals and/or paper membranes to make your cells and battery. Example questions to investigate : a. Which electrolyte is the best? b. Does copper and zinc work better than copper and aluminum? c. Which paper membrane is the best?
  2. Remember to only test one variable at a time****. For example, if you want to find out which electrolyte is the best, repeat Steps 1-2 with a different electrolyte each time but keep the metals and membrane the same. 3. Make sure to record your data.

Step 4: Optimize your battery

  1. Analyze your data from your experiments above.
  2. Build a 6-cell battery using the best electrolyte, metal combination, and paper membrane.
  3. If you have a multimeter/voltmeter, measure the voltage of your optimized battery.
  4. Share your idea with Argonne! Take a picture of your battery and a list of materials you used and send it to Argonne Education at learninglabs@anl.gov or have an adult tweet it out to @Argonne and #ArgonneAtHome.

My Battery Data Table

Steps 1- 2 Edit/expand table as needed or use your own.

Metal 1:________________Metal 2: __________________Electrolyte: ______________Membrane: _______________

of Cells Light Observations

Did the light turn on? Is the light dim or bright? Voltage (V)

Step 3 Edit/expand table as needed or use your own.

Materials Remember to only test one variable at a time. Light Observations How many cells do you need to turn on the light? Is the light dim or bright? Voltage (V) Metal 1: _____________________ Metal 2: _____________________ Electrolyte: ___________________ Membrane: ___________________ Metal 1: _____________________ Metal 2: _____________________ Electrolyte: ___________________ Membrane: ___________________ Metal 1: _____________________ Metal 2: _____________________ Electrolyte: ___________________ Membrane: ___________________ Metal 1: _____________________ Metal 2: _____________________ Electrolyte: ___________________ Membrane: ___________________

Step 4

Take a picture of your optimal battery and a list of materials you used and send it to Argonne Education at learninglabs@anl.gov or have an adult tweet it out to @Argonne and #ArgonneAtHome