MadSci Network: Chemistry
Query:

Re: Are the quantities of hydrogen gas produced by a lemon battery dangerous?

Date: Wed Feb 14 14:16:47 2007
Posted By: Dan Berger, Faculty Chemistry/Science, Bluffton University
Area of science: Chemistry
ID: 1168288836.Ch
Message:

If you used a jug of lemon juice instead of a lemon would you be able to run the battery long enough for the hydrogen gas produced to pose a risk?

Hydrogen, being so much lighter than air, will go up to the top of your space as soon as it's produced. If you're working in a large room, there is little chance of accumulating enough hydrogen to be a hazard from using a lemon battery (or a lemon juice battery) for any reasonable length of time.

Remember that the bottleneck is the surface area (and the quantity of zinc and copper) of your electrodes. If you were able to get high current, there'd be rather more danger because the quantity of H2 is directly proportional to current density; but the bottom line is that lemon cells just don't produce much current at all.

See the Food Batteries FAQ.

Dan Berger


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