Extra Credit -- Potato experiment

Prove to yourself that current is actually moving electrons.

1) Attach wires to either side of a battery (one wire to the +, the other to the - terminals). A 9V battery works great, or a AA, C, D. You can buy batteries in the lab store if needed. Make sure the connections are pretty strong (might need to use rubber bands or something to make a firm connection.

2) Strip the free ends of the wires to expose about 1/2" of wire.

3) Cut a potato in half. (An apple might also work, I haven't tried this)

4) Stick the free ends of the wires into the white exposed flat part of the potato. Make them about an inch apart, maybe less. MARK or otherwise note which wire is connected to the + terminal, and which to the -.

5) Then watch the potato a while .... At first you should see little bubbles forming where one of the wires is connected to the potato..... Depending on how good your connection to the potato is, this may take several minutes to an hour. 

Turn in: Explain what happens, and what you observe. Take a picture of the potato and the system you hooked up. Or bring your potato to class, and I'll have a sign-in sheet to give you credit. Or, make a little video and post that link.

What's it going to do? Like this, but without the light.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQ0lzCD8lM4 Links to an external site.