How to Make a Coin Battery
Sure you could take $2.50 and just buy some batteries, but how much fun would that be?
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You Will Need
- 10 quarters
- Some cider vinegar
- A piece of blotter paper
- Some Aluminum foil
- An L.E.D. light
- A little salt
- 2 small pieces of 16 gauge wire
- Scissors
- A pen
Steps
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Step 1
Mix cider vinegar & salt
In a bowl, mix the cider vinegar and some salt.
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Step 2
Cut out blotter paper
Cut out ten quarter-sized pieces of blotter paper.
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Step 3
Tear aluminum foil
Tear off ten quarter-sized pieces of aluminum foil.
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Step 4
Soak blotted paper
Soak the blotter paper in the vinegar/salt mixture for a few minutes.
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Step 5
Build the battery
Time to build the battery. Start with a piece of foil, then a piece of blotter paper, then a quarter. Keep stacking in the same pattern: foil, paper, quarter… foil, paper, quarter… Until you’re out of quarters.
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Make sure the foil is only making contact where it’s supposed to. If it’s touching more than one quarter, or another piece of foil, your battery may not work.
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Step 6
Let battery charge
Let the battery charge for about 15 minutes.
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Step 7
Touch LED's leads
Touch the LED’s negative lead to the bottom layer of foil, and the positive lead to the quarter on the top and presto – you have light.
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This method of generating electricity was discovered in 1800 by Alessandro Volta. His voltaic pile was the first wet cell battery to produce a reliable steady current of electricity.
