Penny Battery

Q: What did you create?

A: I created a Cat Metal Sculpture.

Q: Why did you decide to do this Sculpture?

A: My cat was my inspiration and my motivation. I was also tempted in trying new things and experimenting a difficult task.

Q: What did you do first?

A: I started sketching my ideas and this was my result.

Q: How big is the sculpture?

A: It is not very large, it is 3 and a 1/2 inches long, about 1 and 1/3 inches wide(upper part), about 2 inches wide(middle part) and about 3 inches wide(lower part).

Q: Why did you need to trace it?

A: Tracing it will help me prevent from uneven proportions and arrangements. When I cut the cardboard, I get the idea how my sculpture would look like.

Q: What type of metal you used?

Website: https://www.stainlesssupply.com/order-metal-online/docs/g3c1067s57ss0p0/5052-H32-Aluminum-Plate.htm

A: I used aluminum for this sculpture and then I used the cutted cardboard and traced it again to the aluminum.

Q: What tools do you need?

A: I used tin snips to slowly cut the aluminum to get my desired look.

Q: What if the sculpture is too sharp??

Website: https://www.1-800-optisource.com/Half-Round-File-Rough.aspx

A: You scrape sharp edges with a filer.

Q: How did you pierce a hole.

Website: http://www.signs-derby.com/catalog/item/5402516/6845323.htm

A: I used a steel hole puncher.

You are now done and now you can tie a ribbon or string and decorate how ever you want.

Q: What is a Penny Battery?

A: A Penny Battery is a stack of pennies that produce voltage like a real battery. One side of a penny is zinc ( - ) and the other side is copper ( + ). The more pennies you use the higher the voltage you have.

Q: How do get zinc from a copper penny?

A: To get zinc, you have to scrape one side of a penny with sandpaper. File it until the penny is fully silver colored. Scrape at least 5 pennies. (Note: this only works with pennies that are from 1982 and above)

Q: What do you do next?

A: Cut small pieces of cardboard and grab a cup and fill it with salt water and some vinegar. Then, soak the pieces of carboard and let it sit there for 5 - 10 minutes.

Q: Why do you need cardboard?

A: To make a real life battery function, it needs three parts; Anode ( - ), the cathode ( + ), and the electrolyte. In a penny battery the anode is the zinc, the cathode is the copper, and the electrolyte is the damp cardboard. The greater the acidity the greater number of electrolytes. This creates a flow of electrical energy.

Q: How should you stack them?

A: The bronze color (copper) should be facing down and the side of the penny that is scratched (the zinc) should be facing up. The damp cardboard should be on top of the zinc and keep repeating this pattern until your left with no pennies. No coins should be touching eaching other and no cardboards should be touching. The individual layers need to be separate.

Q: How do you know it works?

A: With a multimeter you can test how many volts it produces. If you have enough volts, then you are able to light up an LED light. Make sure the shorter leg touches the bottom and the longer leg touches the top. The legs shouldn't touch any other layer(s).

Q: How did you make them stay together?