my friend told me that if i got a glass of saltwater and clamped a wire with like.. aligator type teeth to two chopsticks and attatched it to a light bulb stand with a light bulb in it, if i moved the chipsticks farther and closer to eachother it would make the light bulb become brighter and less bright.
is this true? what can i use? i want to demonstrate electricity for a science project and i want to show how different types of electricity can increase and decrease in power.
2007-03-29 10:30:19 · 4 answers · asked by aliwali 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Sorry, no. Chopsticks are usually bamboo and will not work as electrodes for making a battery. Try one piece of copper, and one piece of zinc (anything galvanized or zinc plated). You should be able to light up some LEDs, but probably not an incandescent bulb unless you make a big one. Acid electrolyte will work better than salt water; try lemon juice or vinegar.
2007-03-29 10:47:25 · answer #1 · answered by Adam S 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is basic high school chemistry.
Take two electro chemical dissimilar conductors, like copper and zinc. Fill a Mason jar 2/3 full with tap water. Add a teaspoon or two of table salt to the water. Stir it around until all is dissolved.
Attach copper wire to the copper and another wire to the zinc. Get a flashlight bulb that works. Touch one wire to the little pointy end of the bulbs base. Concurrently touch the other wire to the side of the base. The bulb should light.
You are probably generating 1 to 3 volts of electricy between the copper and zinc metal. That's enough to light a flash light.
The salt is necessary because fresh water does not carry a current very well. it needs the ions of the disassociated salt (Na+ Cl-) to carry the current. When the bulb, two wires, and salt water are all carrying a current, that makes a closed circuit, like throwing an electric switch. If any one or more of the three parts of your circuit fails to carry a current, the bulb will not light up.
You can vary the current, but not the voltage. The voltage is determined by the choice of the dissimilar metals. But the bulb can be made to burn at different intensities by varying the current...the amperage...because E = IV, where I is the current, V is the voltage, and E is energy which causes the bulb to light up.
For example, pulling the two metal pieces farther apart will lower the current flowing due to increased resistance in the water. Or, add more fresh water; thereby diluting the salinity and the ability of the water to carry a current.
Try all this at home first; so you have it down right before you let your teacher see it for a grade. Have fun.
2007-03-29 10:54:12 · answer #2 · answered by oldprof 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Salt Water Powered Light Bulb
2017-02-20 15:57:30 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
High Performance Tactical Flashlight : http://FlashLight.uzaev.com/?pWti
2016-07-11 11:07:53 · answer #4 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋