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A Science Investigatory Project Proposal

Presented to
Almeria National High School
Almeria, Biliran

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In Partial Fulfillment of the

Requirements for the Subject
Research II

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Name of Researcher
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 I. INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

We are surrounded by important innovations humankind has created such as

gadgets and importantly, power banks. These technological innovations has now become

a part of our daily life and almost everybody in this world owns these devices. It is now

an important part of homes & industries. Most of these devices are powered by electrical

energy stored from battery which can be charged from outlets and from power banks.

Power banks usually stores electrical energy and transfer it to a devices’ battery

especially to mobile phones.

According to EIA, the electricity that we use to charge is a secondary energy

source because it is produced by converting primary sources of energy such as coal,

natural gas, nuclear energy, solar energy, and wind energy, into electrical power.

(EIA,2019) Instead of converting from these primary sources of energy, researchers are

curious to find a newer source of energy which is chemical energy to be stored to power

banks.

Carambola, or starfruit (Averrhoa carambola), a species native to Indonesia, the

Philippines, and throughout Malaysia. The carambola fruit is known for its unique star

shape and rich golden color. The fruit is commonly consumed throughout Southeast Asia,

the South Pacific, Micronesia, and parts of East Asia. This tree is cultivated throughout

tropical areas. It is used to clean rusty or tarnished metal as well as bleach rust stains from

cloth. They may also be used as a mordant in dyeing. (Ali,2012) This fruit’s abundance

can be seen throughout our locality especially in this tropical country. Because of its high
acidity level and its abundance, instead of throwing these fruits away, researchers were

curious to find out if they can create a power bank powered by starfruit juice.

The fruit varies widely in its composition during maturation. However, no single

study has been performed to monitor the changes in physical and chemical characteristics

of the fruit at different stages of maturity. The weight of the green mature fruits was

significantly different than those of half-ripe and ripe fruits. The pH of the fruit increased

with the advance in maturity. Overripe fruits were significantly less acidic (pH 3.44) than

green mature (pH 2.40). The titratable acidity, reducing sugars and tannin contents of the

fruits were significantly different in fruits among all stages of maturity. (Narain et al,

2014)

Researchers wants to find out if they can create a power bank powered by starfruit

juice, determine if there is a significant relationship between the acidity or pH level of the

fruit and the electrical energy transferred, find out if charging speed rate will be affected

by pH level, and compare in which stage of maturity will there be greater changes in the

phone’s battery.
Objectives of the Study

 To prove if it’s possible to create portable power banks powered by starfruit juice.

 To find out the significant relationship between pH level and the electrical energy

transferred to the battery.

 To find out if pH level will affect the rate of the charging speed of the phone.

 To compare in which stage of maturity will there be greater changes in the

phone’s battery.

Statement of the problem

Researchers wants to prove the efficiency of starfruit juice powered portable

power bank system in charging a phone. And answer the following questions:

 Is it possible to create portable power banks powered by starfruit juice?

 Is there a significant relationship between pH level and the electrical energy

transferred to the battery?

 Will the charging speed rate of the phone depend on pH level of the fruit?

 In which stage of maturity will there be greater changes in the phone’s battery?
Significance of the Study

This study conducted is to determine the effectiveness of starfruit juice powered

portable power bank in charging phone’s battery. But it’s effectiveness does not only

limit to phones, batteries from other electrical devices can also be tested and charged.

This kind of power bank is very useful especially after natural disasters. Electrical

blackout may happen and long time repairment is needed for destroyed electrical posts,

and gasoline’s demand will increase along with the price. Many starfruit or other fruits is

wasted everywhere so instead of throwing it away, why not converting it to electrical

energy for charging. And importantly, this study also gives new contribution to the body

of knowledge.

Hypothesis

Alternative Hypothesis:

Null Hypothesis:
 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

According to Chris Deziel, an orange, lemon or lime can act as a battery, and

while a single one might not generate enough voltage to illuminate an LED bulb, several

wired in series will. Citrus fruits can do this because they contain citric acid, an

electrolyte that allows electricity to flow. The power actually comes from the electron

exchange between a pair of electrodes that you insert in the fruit pulp. For the exchange

to be powerful enough to do anything useful, you need a strong conducting medium, and

citrus fruits – especially lemons. (Deziel, 2018)

According to N. Narain, the carambola (Averrhoa carambola L.) fruit is known

for its unique star shape and rich golden color. The fruit varies widely in its composition

during maturation. These fruits are very acidic and can almost equal lemons. However,

no single study has been performed to monitor the changes in physical and chemical

characteristics of the fruit at different stages of maturity. Their objective of the present

study was to analyze the composition of the fruit during maturation. The fruit was found

to be oblong in shape, being on an average, 7.92 cm long and 5.24 cm in width. The

weight of the green mature fruits was significantly different than those of half-ripe and

ripe fruits. The researcher concluded that pH of the fruit increased with the advance in

maturity. The titratable acidity, reducing sugars and tannin contents of the fruits were

significantly different in fruits among all stages of maturity. The calcium content of the

fruits was higher in the ripe stage and it was significantly different than the fruits at green

mature or half-ripe stages. (N. Narain et al. 2014)

 According to Alay, Iba (Averrhoa bilimbi) can conduct electrical energy. One cup

of it’s juice contains 5 volts and can power up a light bulb. His research concluded that

electrical energy is created because iba has a high acidity level to be able

to conduct ions and electrons are there on a piece of copper and zinc. Thus, create an

electric current. (Alay, 2014)

A research article of Borel, et al. stated that Carambola fruit juice contain active

constituents such as vitamins, amino acids, ascorbic acid, oxalic acid, tartaric acid, citric

acid, carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. The high concentration of oxalic acid in

this fruit is responsible for its toxicity. Their research also concluded that citric acid is a

chemical component that make starfruit an electrical conductor. (Borel et al. 2014)

A research by Science Buddies concluded that lemon can be made into batteries

or so-called power banks. The battery they made has a copper and an aluminum electrode

separated by electrolyte lemon juice. It will generate electricity as soon as the electricity

has a path to flow from one electrode to the other. They created this path using strips of

aluminum, a material that conducts electricity well. (Science Buddies, 2015)

 II. METHODOLOGY

Research Design

This research project employed experimental design ---- a design which is

a blueprint of the procedure. Using this research design, it would enable the

researchers to test the hypothesis by reaching valid conclusions and relationships

between independent and dependent variables.

Researchers used an experimental research design in making this research.

Variables and materials undergo experimentation and is quantitatively measured.

Experimenting setups and comparing them. Two setups which are created for three

trials. Data were also analyzed and showed to determine the significant relationship

between the two variables

Materials and Equipment

Measuring the pH Level Measuring The Electric Current and Voltage

 dark violet eggplant  5 green mature starfruits

 peeler  5 ripe starfruits

 2 cups of water  Blender

 5 pinch of alum powder  Multimeter

 pot  Nail

 stove  Centavo coin

 dropper
 5 green mature starfruits
 5 ripe starfruits
 blender

Creating The Starfruit Powered Charging The Phone

 Power Bank Setups

 30 starfruits  Unused working phone

 blender  USB cord
 1 plastic tupperware
 10 plastic cards
 loam soil
 500 mL of Water
 copper plate (the positive electrode)
 zinc plate (as a negative electrode)
 cables.
 USB port

Data Gathering Procedures

Measuring The pH Level:

In measuring the pH level, researchers compare the pH level through their

color by putting drops of plant indicator to the starfruit juice. Researchers made

starfruit juice out of 5 green mature starfruits and 5 ripe starfruits. Then cut the

mayana leaves and mixed it with 2 cups of water in the pot. Then heat it in the stove

for 15 minutes before adding 5 pinch of alum powder. After it becomes purple or dark

blue, immediately place it in a closed container.

Now for determining the pH level of each water, researchers put drops of

the plant indicator to the samples and record their observations.

Measuring The Electric Current and Voltage:

 Researchers prepare a starfruit juice from 5 starfruits and connect it to a

negative and positive electrodes such as nails and centavo coins. And then measure

the electric currents and voltage using a multimeter and recorded it.

Creating The Starfruit Powered Power Bank Setups:

The researchers blend the starfruit to obtain a water-like fluid (without

the fiber / pulp). Prepare the plastic tupperware and filled with loam soil (not sand or

soil containing waste). Divide 8 sections of soil inside the tupperware using the

plastic cards. Put starfruit juice into plastic tupperware in each section that are filled

with soil. Create a series of electrodes to connect between the plates of copper and

zinc plates using a cable (with cable approximately 15 cm each). Develop a series of

electrodes into the 8 sections of soil that have been prepared in advance, with the

copper plate-plate arrangement of zinc-copper plates and so on, so it contain a

composition of a copper plate and a zinc plate electrode of different circuits. Prepare

two sets of electrodes with longer cable and just use only one plate, one copper and

one zinc. For the outer parts (first and last section in the plastic tupperware that has

only one plate: the first section; plate of copper and last section; zinc plate) connected

with a series of new electrode. The first part with a series of zinc, last part connected

with the copper circuit. End of this last series of two cables that is connected to a

USB port.

Charging The Phone:

Using a USB cord, researchers connect an unused working phone and

the USB port from the frst setup, then to the second setup in three trials in a
 controlled environment. Then they recorded the changes in the phone’s battery

percentage in five minutes.

Statistical Treatment of Data

The statistical treatments are percentage and mean, and following formulas were

used to get the percent of the battery, average of the accumulated battery percentage, and

the mean of the electric current:

Accumulated battery percentage

Battery Percentage = X 100
100 battery percentage

Accumulated battery
Average Battery Percentage = percentage Trial 1 + Trial
3
2 + Trial 3
Measured Electric Current
Average Electric Current = Trial 1 + Trial 2 + Trial 3
3

REFERENCES
Alay (2014), How make electrical energy from starfruit (Avverhoa bilimbi)?
http://energyonearth.blogspot.com/2012/03/how-make-electrical-energy-
from.html

Borel et al. (2014) Averrhoa carambola: A Renewable Source of Oxalic Acid for
the Facile and Green Synthesis of Divalent Metal (Fe, Co, Ni, Zn, and Cu)
Oxalates and Oxide Nanoparticles,
https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jac/2014/767695/

Deziel, Chris (2018) Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, Why Do Citrus Fruits
Produce Electricity? https://sciencing.com/do-citrus-fruits-produce-electricity-
5167602.html

Kaupenjohann, M. et al. (2016) Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1989, How to

create electricity from lemon,
https://www.education.com/science-fair/article/lemon-power/

Narain, N. et al. (2014) Physical and chemical composition of Carambola fruit

(Averrhoa carambola L.) at Three Stages of Maturity, Ciencia y Tecnologia
Alimentaria, vol. 3, no. 3, pp. 144-148,
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/11358120109487721

Science Buddies (2015) SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, A DIVISION OF

SPRINGER NATURE AMERICA, INC., Generate Electricity with a Lemon
Battery, https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/generate-electricity-with-a-
lemon-battery/

U.S. Energy Information Administration, EIA (2019) Electricity Explained

https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/electricity/