19.3.2 CIA Demonstration: The Fruit-Powered Clock

Question 1

CIA Demonstration: The Fruit-Powered Clock

Answer 1

• Fruit-powered clocks are constructed from two galvanic cells connected in series, with the fruit acting as a salt bridge.
• A battery similar to the fruit-powered clock can be constructed from virtually any two metal electrodes placed in an ion solution.

Question 2

note

Answer 2

• Fruit-powered clocks are constructed from two galvanic cells connected in series.
• The half-reaction at the anode is zinc metal being oxidized to zinc ions.
• The copper electrode acts as an inert electrode. The
  half-reaction at the cathode depends on the nature of the salt bridge. In this example, oxygen gas is being reduced in the presence of H + to form water.
• A battery similar to the fruit-powered clock can be constructed from virtually any two metal electrodes placed in an ion solution.
• One metal will serve as the cathode, and the other as the anode. Anode metals that act as strong reducing agents result in higher potential differences. Several such batteries connected in parallel can be used to produce even higher potential differences.