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How to Make a Clock Work With a Potato Battery

A battery made from a potato is one that converts chemical energy to electric energy via electron transfer, which is why a potato battery is also known as an electrochemical battery or cell. With the help of the potato, the electric energy that is created during this conversion can be used to power a low-voltage clock.

Things You'll Need

2 potatoes
Permanent marker
2 galvanized nails
2 pieces of heavy copper wire
3 alligator clips
2-volt clock

Instructions

- 1
  Write a number 1 on one of your potatoes and a number 2 on the other with a permanent marker.
- 2
  Lay the potato flat on a sturdy surface and push a simple, galvanized nail into the top of each potato. Insert the nail toward one side of the potato, rather than in the center.
- 3
  Insert a piece of heavy copper wire into each potato. You want the copper wire to be on the opposite side on top of the potato, as far away as possible from the nail.
- 4
  Remove the battery from a 1- to 2-volt clock.
- 5
  Connect the copper wire in potato 1 to the clock's positive battery terminal with an alligator clip.
- 6
  Connect the nail in potato 2 to the clock's negative battery terminal with an alligator clip.
- 7
  Connect the copper wire in potato 2 to the nail in potato 1 with an alligator clip, and you should see your clock immediately begin to flash, ready to be set and used.

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