Simple circuit

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Home : 2002 : April : 15

Simple circuit
By Julianne

I am guessing about some of this. I have never seen this done with a potato! But I have seen a simple circuit made with a break in the wire that can then be filled with different materials to see if they will conduct electricity.
I think the idea of the potato is that it is moist, therefore it should conduct the electricity. Here's how I'd go about this:
1. Get bell wire, a 6 volt lantern battery, the kind with both posts on the top of the battery. These batteries are easier to mess with while still being pretty safe. Be sure you use a flashlight bulb, not a nightlight or other household bulb.

2. Run one piece of bell wire from one terminal of the battery to your bulb's SIDE. Tape or twist it in place.

3. Attach another piece of bell wire from the BOTTOM of the bulb. You can then attach the other end of this wire to the other terminal of the battery to make sure you have a working circuit. If the bulb lights up you know it's working.

4. Now remove the wire from one terminal of the battery and attach another wire there. Take the two unattached ends - one from the battery, one from the bulb - and stick their ends into a small, very juicy potato. If all goes well you should get the thing to light up. If not, then perhaps you could try other materials between these two posts.

Things to try:
aluminum foil
craft stick
wet paper strip
dry paper strip
gold ring
brass ring
nail
button
your finger (yours, not a child's)
ice cube
Christmas tree light

I hope this works for you. Let me know!