Q&A for How to Make a Potato Clock

Return to Full Article

Coming soon

Add New Question

Question

Do the wires and the nails have to be the same size?

Bess Ruff, MA
Environmental Scientist
Bess Ruff is a Geography PhD student at Florida State University. She received her MA in Environmental Science and Management from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2016. She has conducted survey work for marine spatial planning projects in the Caribbean and provided research support as a graduate fellow for the Sustainable Fisheries Group.

Bess Ruff, MA

Environmental Scientist

Expert Answer

As long as the wires and nails are not touching each other and are made of the specified materials, then they do not have to be the same size.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 3 Helpful 23
Question

How long with the potato clock work?

Community Answer

How long a potato battery will last depends on a lot of things. First, it will only be "used up" if it's actually hooked up to a wire. If it's not hooked up to a wire, it will theoretically last until the potato goes bad. Also, it depends on how much zinc you have, because the zinc gets used up in the reaction that powers the battery. If you're using a piece of metal that only has a little bit of zinc on it, then it won't last very long at all. But if you use a big, solid piece of zinc, your battery could go for a really long time! It also depends on the potato - some work better than others. If you want to know exactly how long a specific potato will last, the only way to find out for sure.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 11 Helpful 62
Question

How does the potato power the clock?

Community Answer

A potato clock runs by converting chemical energy into electrical energy, which is then used to power the clock. The potato, in combination with the zinc and copper strips (which act as electrodes), acts as a battery.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 19 Helpful 56
Question

Why does there have to be at least 2 potatoes?

Community Answer

Each potato assembly is a cell, producing a certain voltage. In order to have enough voltage to power the clock, you need two cells or potatoes in series.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 5 Helpful 23
Question

What fruit can I use to make a clock?

Community Answer

I would recommend making a lemon clock.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 10 Helpful 14
Question

What kind of potato is best to use?

Community Answer

The best potato to use in terms of more and longer power is the Jersey Royal Potato. The second best is the Red Potato. Boiling your potatoes also helps bring the power up for your clock.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 4 Helpful 7
Question

Can I use a copper penny instead of copper wire?

Community Answer

Yes, but it would have to be a penny made before 1982; those made after are made of zinc with a thin copper coating.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 4 Helpful 9
Question

Can I use pennies instead of copper wire for Method 1?

Community Answer

You can, but the penny would have to be from before 1982 because ones after that date are made with zinc and only have a slight copper coating.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 0 Helpful 3
Question

Would this be a good project for my school science fair?

Community Answer

It could be but you need to ask what the judges are looking for by way of challenge and originality. Potato clocks are a nice project to do but they might not win the fair because they are a common choice and not particularly challenging.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 2 Helpful 2