Electricity? How does it work?

"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn) 01/13/2014 at 20:27 • Filed to: sciencelopnik

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My son wants to do this for his school science project. I think it's BS, but honestly, I don't know jack about electricity. The majority of commenters said it was a hoax (he's using two cords), and one opined that it would create some electricity, but not nearly enough to charge a device. Any EEs out there?

Nick, Drives a Cobalt LT > ttyymmnn 01/13/2014 at 20:32

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I think its a hoax.

It might create some electricity but not the voltage to chage an Ipod.

I think you need 7 Volts to charge an ipod...as that is what is fed through a USB Cable (I could be wrong but I think its 7 volts on the power sidde)

d1ck > ttyymmnn 01/13/2014 at 20:34

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Total BS. The usb plug just jammed into the banana would accomplish nothing at all even if the banana was some kind of fruit battery. Also, all apple devices require a certain resistance to be applied across the +data and -data pins for it to actually charge.

desertdog5051 > ttyymmnn 01/13/2014 at 20:36

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I say BS. Not an expert on generating electricity, but the the only things I see there that would be conducive to generating a current is the orange and possibly the apple.

Dusty Ventures > ttyymmnn 01/13/2014 at 20:38

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Shenaynaygans. Like d1ck said, even if the banana made the power just stuffing a usb into it would do nothing.

d1ck > Nick, Drives a Cobalt LT 01/13/2014 at 20:38

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5 volts actually at 500mA.

Nick, Drives a Cobalt LT > d1ck 01/13/2014 at 20:40

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I was close.

7 Volts is something else then....

I just remembered that computers produce 3.3 5 and 12 volts....so 7 is not possible.

CAR_IS_MI > ttyymmnn 01/13/2014 at 21:04

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Some citric foods will generate electricity, albeit MINOR amounts. If he does some research he may be able to figure out just what foods / how to set them up to supply enough energy to light a single diode (single LED somewhere in the range of 0.5v

48 Spoons > d1ck 01/13/2014 at 21:36

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I feel like I need to end an argument now with: "You can't just jam the plug in a banana!" and storm out of the room.