The Salty Science of Electrolysis
Hard
Ever wanted to know what happens when you mix salt and electricity? In this project, you'll find out by testing the effect of water salinity on electrolysis. You'll measure the current, voltage, and brightness of a light bulb to see how salt affects the flow of electricity.
Hypothesis
The hypothesis is that sea water with higher salinity will conduct more electricity.
Method & Materials
You will fill two beakers with distilled water and sea water, respectively. Then, you will connect two copper electrodes to a battery and measure the current, voltage, and brightness of a light bulb.
You will need two beakers, 300ml of distilled water and 300ml of sea water, two copper electrodes, four 1.5V batteries, a battery holder, four jumper wires with crocodile clips, a digital voltmeter, an ammeter, and a small light bulb with socket.
Results
The results showed that the bulb lit up when sea water was used, but not when distilled water was used. The current measured was also higher for sea water, but the voltage measured was almost the same for both electrolyte solutions.
Why do this project?
This science project is interesting because it demonstrates how salt can be used to conduct electricity, which is a useful application in many everyday items such as batteries.
Also Consider
Experiment variations include varying the amount of salt in the water and repeating the experiment with different sizes and types of electrodes.
Full project details
You can find additional information and details for this science fair project here. Have fun exploring!Related videos
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