Access Keys:

 
 
St Josephs Primary School, Slate Street, Belfast
School closes for Halloween break on Friday 25th October at 12.30pm. We reopen on Monday 4th November.
open new window
pause
play

Science experiment using lemons 🍋

11th Oct 2024
🥼Future Scientists: P4 investigated using lemons in a circuit yesterday! 🍋⚡️ Using a lemon in a circuit investigation is a simple and engaging way to introduce children to basic concepts of electricity, circuits, and chemical reactions. Here's why it's effective:
 
1. Hands-on and Visual: Children can physically see and touch the components, making it easier to understand how a circuit works. The lemon provides a tangible and exciting element, making learning fun.
 
2. Safe and Non-toxic: Lemons are a safe, natural, and non-toxic way to explore electricity without using more hazardous materials like batteries or power supplies, which could pose safety risks for young children.
 
3. Teaches Basic Circuitry: A lemon battery involves a few basic components—lemon, copper coin, zinc nail, and wires—that form a simple circuit. This introduces the idea of electrical current flow in an easy, understandable way.
 
4. Chemical Reactions: The lemon acts as an electrolyte, allowing a small electrical current to flow between the copper and zinc. This introduces children to the concept of chemical reactions producing energy, even at a basic level.
 
5. Curiosity and Exploration: Children are often surprised to see that something as simple as a lemon can generate electricity. This naturally sparks curiosity and encourages further exploration and questioning.
 
Overall, the lemon battery experiment is a fun, safe, and educational way to engage young children with basic principles of science.