Quick Answer:The Hand Battery Apparatus has a copper plate and a steel/zinc plate wired to a sensitive micro ammeter; when a student puts one hand on each plate, moisture on the skin acts as the electrolyte and the meter shows a small current in microamperes.
Last updated: 18 October 2026
Key Features
One copper plate and one steel/zinc plate as electrodes.
Built-in high-sensitivity micro ammeter.
Open plates for direct hand contact.
Non-conductive wooden/acrylic base.
Needle deflection shows current in µA.
Technical Specifications
Specification
Value
Electrodes
1 copper plate, 1 steel/zinc plate
Meter
Built-in micro ammeter, reading in µA
Base
Non-conductive wooden/acrylic
Operation
Contact with both hands completes the circuit
How It Is Used
Pressing both palms on the plates makes the student the electrolyte of a simple galvanic cell, and the micro ammeter needle deflects. Trying dry and damp hands shows how the electrolyte affects the current, which leads into how cells and batteries work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does the current in the Hand Battery Apparatus come from?
The copper and steel/zinc plates form a galvanic cell, with moisture on the skin of the hands acting as the electrolyte. The small current is shown in microamperes on the built-in micro ammeter.
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