The Catalyst Volume 5, Issue 2 | Page 8

CLASS:

Chemistry Lab

SEMESTER:

Spring 2017

ASSIGNMENT:

The Electric Pickle

QUESTION:

Can a normal pickled cucumber complete an electrical circuit?

PiCkling Science

desert

STUDENT WORK

HYPOTHESIS:

Pickles are made in a salty brine and therefore contain sodium chloride (NaCl) molecules. When exposed to an electrical current, the electrons in both the Sodium anodes (Na+) and Chloride cathodes (Cl-) are excited and move to outside orbital levels of the atom. As the pickle is charged, the excited electrons fall back to lower energy levels in the atom, causing energy, in the form of a photon, to be released from the atom. This process is known as ionization and electronic transition emission. The result is that the pickle lights up.

PROCEDURE:

Student groups were given a pickle, two nails and an extension cord. After cutting the female end of the extension cord and stripping the two wires, students wrapped the wire ends around two separate nails. Each nail was then stuck in opposite ends of the pickle. Making sure not to touch the pickle, the extension cord was then plugged in.

OBSERVATIONS:

The pickle lights up and there are little sparks that shoot out from where the nail and pickle are connected, there is a little smoke.

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Diagram 1. Electronic Transition Emission. As a charged electron drops from a higher energy level to a lower energy level, energy is released in the form of a photon which produces light.