Chayote (Sechium edule) as an Alternative Source of Electricity

INTRODUCTION

A. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

Electricity is an integral utility in modern society, with links to everything from a human's subconscious fear of the dark to the practical need for working illumination in an industrialized world. The entire world essentially runs on electricity, in one form or another, and while combustibles are essential at the present time as well, their time is nearing an end.  All of the modern energy alternatives are focused on creating electricity by renewable means, such as wind turbines, solar arrays and geothermic heating, ultimately using steam to turn large turbines, creating electricity. Fruits and vegetables contain important vitamins and minerals our bodies need to maintain it properly. These same fruits and vegetables also contain a large amount of water. The water in all fruits and vegetables makes them good conductors of electricity.

Chayote (Sechium edule), also known as christophene or christophine,cho-cho,mirliton or merleton (Creole/Cajun), chuchu (Brazil), Cidra (Antioquia, Caldas, Quindio and Risaralda regions of Colombia), Guatila (Boyacá and Valle del Cauca regions of Colombia), Centinarja (Malta), Pipinola (Hawaii), pear squash, vegetable pear, chouchoute, choko, güisquil (El Salvador), Labu Siam (Indonesia), Ishkus (Darjeeling, India), Pataste (Honduras), Sayote (Philippines) is an edible plant belonging to the gourd family Cucurbitaceae, along with melons, cucumbers and squash.  Chayote in its nature contains large amount of water. So it is my goal to test if sayote could be a good conductor of electricity. The word chayote is a Spanish derivative of the Nahuatl word chayohtli (pronounced [t͡ʃaˈjoʔt͡ɬi]). Chayote was one of the many foods introduced to Europe by early explorers, who brought back a wide assortment of botanical samples. The Age of Conquest also spread the plant south from Mexico, ultimately causing it to be integrated into the cuisine of many other Latin American nations.

In the Philippines, the plant is known as "Sayote" and is grown mostly on Mountainous part of the country such as Baguio City and parts of Cordillera Administrative Region. Chayote is used in many kinds of dishes such as soup, stir-fried vegetables and chop suey.

B. BENEFITS

Although chayote (Sechium edule) is typically prepared as a vegetable, it is in fact a fruit. It’s quite crunchy flesh can be eaten both raw and cooked. Around the world it is known by various names including merliton, christophene and chowchow. It is a member of the squash family and is referred to as the “vegetable pear.” Chayote is an excellent source of folate, a B vitamin which helps prevent homocystein build-up. Studies have shown that too much of this amino acid in the blood is linked to a higher risk of coronary heart disease and stroke.Vitamin C is known as one of the powerful antioxidants, substances that may protect cells from damage caused by free radicals. Studies suggest that antioxidants may slow or possibly prevent cancer development. Start your day with a breakfast of chayote omelet. Its manganese content helps the body converts protein and fat to energy.Need more fiber? Promote bowel regularity by adding this vegetable to your diet.It helps iodine in keeping the thyroid healthy by providing copper, a mineral linked in thyroid metabolism, especially in hormone production and absorption.It is a good source of zinc, a mineral which has shown to influence hormones which controls the production of oil in the skin.Tell grandma to eat chayote for a natural supply of vitamin K. Studies revealed a connection between vitamin K and osteoporosis.Tired and heavy legs are the body’s signal that it needs more potassium. Have some potassium-rich foods to prevent this condition.Study participants have shown that vitamin B6 helps improve memory performance in some age groups.Chayote also contains magnesium, an electrolyte and a mineral which helps prevent muscle cramps.

According to the US government about 39% of the energy used in America goes towards generating electricity. Therefore generating electricity plays a major roll the amount of pollution added to the environment each year. Since most of America's electric is generated via the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil or natural gas the amount of electric generated is directly responsible for our environmental impact.

Chayote is originally native to Mexico or Central America where it grows abundantly and has little commercial value, and it has been introduced as a crop all over Latin America, and worldwide. The main growing regions are Brazil, Costa Rica and Veracruz, Mexico. Costa Rican chayotes are predominantly exported to the European Union, whereas Veracruz is the main exporter of chayotes to the United States.

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Electricity has become an essential part of our daily lives. We become restless, if we are forced to live without it even for an hour. This fact brings us to the point, where we are forced to think of alternative sources for generating electricity. Well, the alternative source is right there in your kitchen. lemons or any other citrus fruit. Any type of citrus fruit, be it lemon, orange or sweet lime, will generate electricity when they are properly connected in a completed electrical circuit. In a fruit circuit, the fruit acts as a battery. The citric acid and water in the fruit act as an electrolyte, thus enabling the flow of electricity through the circuit. In a normal battery, be it of any size, two metals are used to generate electrons, and a conductive chemical eases the flow of these electrons through the circuit. When the fruit acts as a battery, the acid and water contained in it act as the conductive chemical.

G. Johnstone Stoney, an Irish physicist, had a theory that electric currents are really movements of nearly invisible electrical particles. He suggested that these particles be called electrons, in 1891. Joseph John Thomson, an English physicist, showed that electrons existed in 1897. An American physicist, Robert A. Millikan, accurately measured an electron’s charge in 1913.

In the late 1800’s was when scientists discovered that electrons could be separated from metal surfaces in vacuum tubes. Vacuum tubes are glass tubes with most of the air removed. The tube contains electrodes with wires that extend through the glass, linking batteries to the electrodes it caused a current of electrons to flow through the electrons inside the tube. Adjusting the voltage can change the current. Vacuum tubes can amplify, mix, and separate weak electric currents. The vacuum tube made the radio, TV, light bulb, and other electrical inventions possible.

In 1947, American physicists John Burdeen, Walter H. Bratten, and William Shocky invented the transistor. Vacuum tubes and transistors do almost the same thing, accept transistors are smaller and more durable, and they use less energy. By the 1960’s transistors had replaced vacuum tubes in nearly all-electronic equipment. Since the 1960’s electronic companies have developed even smaller transistors, to fit on a single chip called an integrated circuit. 

Electricity is used very widely. It’s even used in animals and people. It controls our nervous system. Everything manmade you look at you wouldn’t usually think about who or what made it because people don’t hand make the things you use, electrical machines do, like sewing machines, and other electrical machines make those electrical machines. So every single machine uses electricity or was produced with electricity. Electricity will only travel through certain materials called conductors. Conductors are metals, (iron, copper, and zinc) water, acid, and many other substances. Electricity also refuses to travel through some substances, like wood, rubber, plastic, paper (made from wood), pastes, and natural substances (such as rocks, leaves, and dirt.) They are all called insulators. Several things like wind and water pressure can produce electricity. Man made electric harnesses such as windmills; generators and dams are used to create electrical power to run all of our cities and towns. Lightning and static electricity happen naturally and cannot be harnessed.

REVIEW OF RELATED STUDIES

Though it's certainly not a practical way to light your home, you can generate electricity from fruit. The acid in fruit interacts with electrodes to create a small amount of voltage. Creating a fruit battery is an interesting experiment to try with school-age children. Once you have the necessary materials, you can experiment with different fruits to see the varied results. The lemon, with the zinc and copper, becomes a battery. A battery is composed of two metals and an electrolyte. An electrolyte is a conductive liquid; here, the lemon juice performs this function. A chemical reaction takes place between the metals within the citrus fruit. This creates voltage, which pushes the electrons through the circuit.

A common misunderstanding is that citrus fruits create electricity. What happens is the electrolyte (the citrus juice) combined with the zinc and the copper form a battery, which in turn completes an electrical circuit.

Citrus fruits are not the only sources of electrolytes. Other juicy fruits, like apples, can be used. Potatoes are good conductors, too. Vinegar is also a viable conductor.

Many small items can be powered using an electrical circuit with citrus fruits, such as penlight bulbs. LEDs can be powered with citrus fruits; they use less electricity than light bulbs. Calculators are a useful tool that can be powered by this method, too.

STEPS AND PROCEDURE

OBJECTIVE

The reason of the test was to find out if chayote as an alternative source of electricity can light the LED bulb.

MATERIALS

In this test, I am required to secure the following materials to be able to come up with an effective chayote battery.

1.     6-8 pieces of medium-sized Chayote

2.     A set of galvanized nails

3.     Approximately 10 pieces of centavo coins

4.     A set of alligator clips with wire

5.     1 meter bronze wire

6.     A 3.bolt LED light bulb

7.     Switch (optional)

PROCEDURES

These are the steps that should be followed to light the LED bulb using the chayote.

1.      Put a nail and a centavo coin on each end of the chayote and then connect the ends with the bronze wire.  

2.      Place the other end of the wire on the LED bulb. Make sure that the centavo coin and the nail are connected to the LED bulb using the alligator clip.

http://health.wikinut.com/10-Health-Benefits-of-Chayote/u9cjwjbr/
http://www.reference.com/motif/science/importance-of-electricity-in-our-daily-life
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/why-do-citrus-fruits-conduct-electricity.html
http://www.selah.k12.wa.us/soar/sciproj2002/audras.html