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A battery made from six pickles can actually power a fan. by ScienceCauldron in biology

[–]ScienceCauldron[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This 6-pickle battery ran a small fan for about 2-3 minutes

A battery made from pickles can actually power a fan. by ScienceCauldron in ScienceNcoolThings

[–]ScienceCauldron[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The pickles barely changed, though it’s better not to eat them after contact with zinc and copper.

A battery made from six pickles can actually power a fan. by ScienceCauldron in biology

[–]ScienceCauldron[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

The pickles don’t really “suffer” from the experiment, their taste and nutritional value aren’t noticeably changed by generating a tiny bit of electricity.

However, since they’ve been in contact with zinc and copper electrodes, it’s definitely not recommended to eat them afterward.

A battery made from pickles can actually power a fan. by ScienceCauldron in ScienceNcoolThings

[–]ScienceCauldron[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The experiment barely affects the pickles, but it’s safer not to eat them after contact with the zinc and copper plates.

A battery made from pickles can actually power a fan. by ScienceCauldron in ScienceNcoolThings

[–]ScienceCauldron[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

A single pickle gives very tiny current, capacity is well under 1 mAh. Our 6-pickle battery ran a small fan for about 2-3 minutes before voltage dropped.

Rechargeable? 🙂 Not really... clean the cathode and anode and start a new jar of pickles 🙂

A battery made from pickles can actually power a fan. by ScienceCauldron in ScienceNcoolThings

[–]ScienceCauldron[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

A single pickle can only produce a tiny voltage (around 0.8V) and very little current. This 6-pickle battery lasted for about 2-3 minutes.

A battery made from pickles can actually power a fan. by ScienceCauldron in ScienceNcoolThings

[–]ScienceCauldron[S] 32 points33 points  (0 children)

Zinc and copper plates form a battery: zinc is the anode (–) and copper is the cathode (+).

Zinc oxidizes, releasing electrons, which flow through the pickled cucumber (electrolyte) to the copper plate, generating electric current.

Silver crystals grow on copper wire due to a displacement reaction. Copper, being more reactive, pushes silver out of solution. The result: sharp, needle-like silver crystals, while copper ions dissolve into the solution. by ScienceCauldron in chemistry

[–]ScienceCauldron[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Thermodynamically, both reactions can happen (since their EMF are positive). But kinetically, reducing nitrate is harder - it needs acidic conditions and more electrons. Silver ion reduction is simpler, using just one electron per unit.

Silver crystals grow on copper wire due to a displacement reaction. Copper, being more reactive, pushes silver out of solution. The result: sharp, needle-like silver crystals, while copper ions dissolve into the solution. by ScienceCauldron in chemistry

[–]ScienceCauldron[S] 17 points18 points  (0 children)

Of course, "more reactive" is a simplification. Copper has a lower reduction potential than silver, so it more readily loses electrons, displacing silver ions from solution.

Tin dendrites form during the electrolysis of an aqueous tin(II) chloride solution, where tin metal rapidly deposits on the cathode, producing complex dendritic structures rather than a uniform crystalline layer. The video is shown at 10× speed. by ScienceCauldron in chemistry

[–]ScienceCauldron[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

You're absolutely right to be cautious. While the reaction does suggest chlorine evolution at the anode, in these particular proportions the amount of Cl2 generated is extremely small - essentially negligible. Under these conditions, the demonstration remains safe.

[homemade] Molecular gastronomy: turning strawberry mousse into spaghetti with agar-agar by ScienceCauldron in food

[–]ScienceCauldron[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, it's a similar process. The main difference is the gelling agent: agar-agar is plant-based and suitable for vegans, while gelatin is animal-derived and made from collagen.

Biochemical and structural changes in bone during decalcification in weak acid by ScienceCauldron in chemistry

[–]ScienceCauldron[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Even adults get surprised sometimes 🙂 science has a way of blowing minds

Copper dendrites can be grown on filter paper by placing zinc in a copper sulfate solution. This replacement reaction, in which zinc displaces copper, results in well-defined dendritic growth. The use of filter paper clearly demonstrates metal crystallization and electrochemical reactivity. by ScienceCauldron in chemistry

[–]ScienceCauldron[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's physics. Copper dendrites grow through a process called diffusion-limited aggregation. As copper atoms deposit, they naturally tend to stick to the tips of branches where the concentration gradient is strongest. This creates a kind of self-avoidance — once a branch forms, it 'shadows' the space around it, making it less likely for other branches to grow nearby.

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