At a glance
Electrolysis and Batteries is a 60 or 75 minute workshop for grade 2 and grades 4 to 10. Students test how well water conducts electricity with an LED, then, following Alessandro Volta, build a battery from water and citric acid to power an alarm clock.
Cleaning old jewellery and making chlorine from table salt using water and electricity: it’s possible!
We figure out these phenomena together through experiments on how well water conducts electricity.
To do so, we compare how brightly an LED shines in plain water and in salt water.
Then, following in Alessandro Volta’s footsteps, students take on a challenge: build a battery with water and citric acid, finding the exact amount needed to power an alarm clock!
It’s electrifying!
Learning goals (elementary)
- Show how molecules can be broken down chemically to make new ones.
- Assemble simple electrical circuits.
- Understand conductivity.
