Hello there!!

I poured some white vinegar in a pot and mixed it with a little bit of water. I then put as much salt(NaCl) as it will dissolve and left it there for a month. It turned red. Why??

And again, when I put 2 carbon(coke or graphite{I tested with both}) electrodes in the solution and passed electricity through it, the battery Charged up!! The max voltage was 1.9v and the capacity(with carbon rod from AA C-Zn batt) was 7mAh. Can you tell me the reactions taking place while charging and discharging in a "simple" way, 'cause I'm only 13 and don't know much......

 

It is known as a Voltaic Pile and was the first battery invented by a man named Volta.

I'm not sure why yours worked without the solid pieces of metal used by Volta

see this.... http://www.sciencescene.com/Workshop Materials/Physical Science Activities/Making a Battery.doc

 

Hello there!!

I poured some white vinegar in a pot and mixed it with a little bit of water. I then put as much salt(NaCl) as it will dissolve and left it there for a month. It turned red. Why??

And again, when I put 2 carbon(coke or graphite{I tested with both}) electrodes in the solution and passed electricity through it, the battery Charged up!! The max voltage was 1.9v and the capacity(with carbon rod from AA C-Zn batt) was 7mAh. Can you tell me the reactions taking place while charging and discharging in a "simple" way, 'cause I'm only 13 and don't know much......

I believe they found jars and other containers in dig sites in Iraq and Egypt as ancient societies such as the Egyptians used such batteries for a variety of uses.

Split Infinity

 

Thanks for answering!!

But can you tell me how come the battery charged up?? It had no Voltage reading when I first connected it to the multimeter, but when I charged it for half an hour with 2v, 300mA, it had 1.9v. So whats the reaction taking place in the cell??

 

And it will be helpful if you can tell me the reactions(in equation) taking place while charging and discharging at the anode and cathode.

 

Without knowing what caused the solution of salt and vinegar to 'turn red' I can offer no guess as to the actual chemistry occuring. Sodium ions, chlorine ions and acetic acid are the only substances given that we can be sure of. The chances are extremely high that there was a metallic element present in substanstial quantities. Passing electricity into the unknown mixture would have created a chemicl reaction which 'stored' the electrical power in the form of chemical compounds, which again, are unknown.

Submit some of the mixture to an analytical lab. ($$) That is the only way to find out what exactly you have. Anything else is a GUESS.

 

dude, you need to get out more

 

Without knowing what caused the solution of salt and vinegar to 'turn red' I can offer no guess as to the actual chemistry occuring. Sodium ions, chlorine ions and acetic acid are the only substances given that we can be sure of.
...

Most salt brands here in Australia are "iodised" and contain a regulated amount of iodine (which is a purply-red-brown colour).

But who knows, it might just as well be some rust or something from container or stirring implement or metal electrodes?