Why isn't my vinegar battery lighting up a light bulb?

[es_dee]

I tried making a vinegar batter with aluminum and copper today and can't light up a small light bulb but I'm not sure why. Is it because the current is too small or it is because the vinegar has a high internal resistance? any help would be greatly appreciated. thanks!

 

[Chi Meson]

It depends on the bulb. What is the intended voltage of the bulb? You want a bulb intended for a flashlight that uses 1 battery; that is a 1.5V bulb. Your vinnegar battery produces less than a full volt of potential difference, so even with a low volt bulb, it will glow very dimly.

Note: the indicated power (wattage) of the bulb will not help you since the actual power dissipated by the bulb depends on the voltage of the battery.