Electricity and Magnetism > Resistance DCS# 5D30.30

GLOWING PICKLE



APPARATUS
hot dog cooker 202-19-E1
outlet strip 202-02-E5
variac 202-08-F
large pickle IGA
paper towels 202


DESCRIPTION
Place the pickle across the electrodes and turn on the outlet strip.  The pickle conducts because of the salt solution and will eventually glow yellow.  The glow is due to arcing across gaps of vapor where the pickle has dried out near an electrode.  Sodium D lines can be seen with a diffraction grating.
 
NOTES
 
Use caution around exposed 120 V electrodes.  Plug the apparatus into an outlet strip with a GFI, a switch, and an indicator light.
 
Open a window; cooked pickle smells.
 
REFERENCES

Glowing Pickle
JCE 82 (4) 545.
JCE 70 (3) 251.