RENEWABLE ENERGY
BUILDING BATTERIES LAB
NAME:
LAB SAFETY:
1- We will be working with common household materials that should be handled with care.
4- ONLY use the lab materials as written in the directions.
OBJECTIVE:
Learn how batteries work, and investigate energy storage solutions by building two types of
batteries.
PRIMARY BATTERY COMPONENTS
ANODE- Negative Terminal
CATHODE- Positive Terminal
ELECTROLYTE- Ionized fluid/weak acid
-
ALL ABOUT BATTERIES
A battery is stored chemical energy that can generate electricity when it is hooked into a
circuit
Some batteries are re-chargeable and others are not
Negatively charged electrons flow from the anode to the cathode when hooked up in a
circuit
The anode and the cathode cannot touch, there must be an electrolyte barrier
Batteries can be made from a variety of different materials
Batteries are made from chemicals found in minerals. Most of these minerals are heavy
metals, which can be poisonous even in very small amounts
The first battery was created by Alessandro Volta in 1798. Volta was an Italian professor
in physics and chemistry and was made a count by Napoleon in honor of his work
Many batteries can be recharged by reversing the chemical reaction. Usually the
chemical reaction that occurs causes electrons to flow from the negative to positive end
of the battery. When recharging a battery, you reverse the chemical reaction using
electrical energy, causing the electrons to flow in the opposite direction.
RENEWABLE ENERGY
MAKING BATTERIES LAB PART 1
BATTERY 1- COIN BATTERY
PROCEDURES:
1- Using the materials provided- paper towel squares, pennies, nickels, salt water/vinegar- build
a stacked coin battery
2- Test the battery using the multimeter, motor, and light
3- When using the multimeter, make sure to touch 1 lead to the anode and 1 lead to the cathode
4- Consider how to make sure that the anode and cathode are separated by the electrolyte.
What materials to you have that you can use?
VARIABLES: List 3 or more additional variables for this battery:
1- The age of the coin- pennies made before 1982 will have a higher percentage of copper than
after 1982
HYPOTHESIS:
DESIGN: Draw a diagram depicting your battery in the space below. Make sure to label each
material and its function (anode, cathode, and electrolyte).
RENEWABLE ENERGY
MAKING BATTERIES LAB PART 1
OBSERVATIONS:
Trial
Number of Pennies
Number of Nickels
Voltage (mV)
1- Were you able to power any devices with your battery? If yes, what did you power? If not,
what variable would you change in order to power something?
2- What trends did you observe during the experiment?
3- What was the highest voltage recorded?
CONCLUSION:
RENEWABLE ENERGY
MAKING BATTERIES LAB PART 2
BATTERY TWO- ALUMINUM AIR BATTERY
PROCEDURES:
1- Build a battery using the materials provided- activated carbon, aluminum foil, electrolyte
(vinegar or salt water) and paper towels, and alligator clips
2- Remember to make sure that the activated carbon and the aluminum foil are separated by
the electrolyte
3- Test the battery using a multimeter, and then try to power a motor or light
4- Conduct 2 trials to test your hypothesis.
5- HINTS: The paper towel is an essential component of the battery; the cups used for the
electrolyte should not be used in the construction of the battery
VARIABLES: List a 2 or more different variables for this battery
HYPOTHESIS:
DESIGN: Draw a diagram depicting your battery in the space below. Make sure to label each
material and its function (anode, cathode, and electrolyte).
RENEWABLE ENERGY
MAKING BATTERIES LAB PART 2
OBSERVATIONS:
Trial
Variable- what did you
change?
Voltage (mV)
1- Were you able to power any devices with your battery? If yes, what did you power? If
not, what variable(s) would you change in order to power something?
2- Were you able to power a light bulb? Why or why not?
3- What was the highest voltage recorded for your battery?
CONCLUSION:
RENEWABLE ENERGY
MAKING BATTERIES LAB PART 2
FINAL WRAP UP:
Identify the following for both batteries:
Battery Component
Coin Stack Battery
Aluminum Battery
ANODE
CATHODE
ELECTROLYTE
1- Was one battery more powerful than the other? Which one? Explain your thoughts.
2- What do batteries and solar panels have in common?
3- What role will batteries play in the future of energy storage?