- #1
ojs
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Hi, I was doing some tests with lemon batteries today and found that it produced little current (not enough to light a small LED at least and I serially connected 4 lemons getting above 3V) which is explained in some places in the following way:
2 electrons are produced by the zinc (if your using zinc and copper) and they are absorbed by the H near the cathode so there are few extra electrons to go through the circuit.
But is this quite right? I mean isn't there enough electrons to use all around us? I always had the image of extra electrons in metals and that all we had to do was supply voltage and voila, current was produced. My image was that we didn't need anyone specific electron producer. So shouldn't the copper wires connecting the lemons to the led contain enough free electrons so that when 3V are supplied then the electrons start to move?
Of course the wire is electrically neutral so if my understanding is correct then an equal amount of positive charge would have to be in place in the wire, that could be protons or positively ionized atoms, I have no solid idea here.
If someone could clarify my confusion here that would be much appreciated.
2 electrons are produced by the zinc (if your using zinc and copper) and they are absorbed by the H near the cathode so there are few extra electrons to go through the circuit.
But is this quite right? I mean isn't there enough electrons to use all around us? I always had the image of extra electrons in metals and that all we had to do was supply voltage and voila, current was produced. My image was that we didn't need anyone specific electron producer. So shouldn't the copper wires connecting the lemons to the led contain enough free electrons so that when 3V are supplied then the electrons start to move?
Of course the wire is electrically neutral so if my understanding is correct then an equal amount of positive charge would have to be in place in the wire, that could be protons or positively ionized atoms, I have no solid idea here.
If someone could clarify my confusion here that would be much appreciated.