STEM Activity: Build Your Own Battery
STEM ActivitiesDate February 11, 2025
Est. Reading Time 3 mins
Happy National Battery Day! Did you know National Battery Day is celebrated in February each year to recognize the importance of batteries in our daily lives? Batteries have two electrodes that are surrounded by electrolytes. The positively and negatively charged ions can move within the electrolyte solution to create power.
Creating a homemade battery is more than a fun project; it’s a hands-on way to explore essential chemistry principles. Spark your curiosity as you explore the fascinating world of chemistry to create your very own battery.
Materials Needed
- Aluminum foil
- Five copper pennies
- Four nickels
- LED (Tip: Think about taking apart a toy you have lying around or old string lights)
- Measuring cup and measuring spoons
- Pencil
- Salt, 1 tablespoon
- Scissors
- Small cup
- Thin cardboard
- Vinegar, ¼ cup
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Measure ¼ cup of vinegar and pour it into a small cup.
- Using a spoon, mix 1 tablespoon of salt into the vinegar.
- Using a penny and a pencil, trace four circles on the thin cardboard, then cut out the circles.
- Lay a strip of aluminum foil on your work surface. Make sure it is larger than the penny and has space for the LED prong.
- Place your penny on the aluminum foil.
- Dip a cardboard circle in the vinegar and salt solution and place it on the penny.
- Place a nickel on top of the cardboard circle, then stack another penny on top of the nickel. (You do not need a cardboard circle in between the penny and the nickel this time.)
- Repeat steps 6-7 until all coins are used.
- Take your LED light and put the longer prong on top of the battery and the shorter prong on the foil. (Note: This battery provides a very low voltage and current.)
- What do you see? Share your observations with family and friends!
What Are We Discovering?
When you mixed the salt and vinegar, you initiated an electrochemical reaction. Well done! In this experiment, the salt and vinegar formed the electrolyte solution, and the coins served as the battery’s electrodes. Through this hands-on activity, you engaged with practical chemistry and connected with the cutting-edge advancements that continue to shape our world.
This experiment echoes the work of scientists like National Inventors Hall of Fame® Inductee Esther Sans Takeuchi. She led efforts to invent and refine the lithium/silver vanadium oxide (Li/SVO) battery technology used to power the majority of today's lifesaving implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), a small battery-powered device placed in the chest to detect irregular heartbeats and deliver controlled electrical shock to restore a normal heart rhythm. Now, that’s a heartfelt innovation!
Stay Curious!
What high-powered idea will you think of next? Staying curious is the best way to find your next opportunity to experiment with STEM. For more fresh ideas and hands-on STEM activities delivered to your inbox, sign up for our emails.