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  • - I'm Sarah.

  • - I'm Inga.

  • - And we are, again, trying kids

  • science experiments as adults.

  • (peppy music)

  • Last time, Inga, you told me that you have

  • never done the potato light bulb science experiment.

  • - I am very familiar with potatoes.

  • Taco with potato.

  • The potato. Potatoes.

  • Blue potato.

  • - Yes.

  • - I went to school in Idaho. - I didn't know that.

  • - But I don't know what a potato light is.

  • - Okay, well it's a challenge.

  • And if we don't quite make it, yeah,

  • we're gonna have to bring in another expert.

  • - Which is most likely... - A kid, yeah.

  • If you're ready to go I think we can

  • put this divider up.

  • Divide us! (thunder crashing)

  • All right, so I was given the ingredients

  • to this experiment, and so we're gonna see

  • if we can figure it out without seeing the directions.

  • What we have in front of us...

  • - You need potatoes, pennies, zinc plated nails,

  • some copper wire, a little small light bulb.

  • - Oh and then also a tiny clock.

  • All right, and our goal is to light up

  • this tiny (beep) little light right here.

  • So the clock requires less voltage than the light.

  • So getting that working will let us know

  • if we're on the right path.

  • - Does it actually work?

  • You're not just making this up?

  • - I'm not making this up.

  • This is a real thing, okay.

  • Whenever you're ready.

  • - Okay, ready? - Yeah.

  • (beeping) - All right, let's go.

  • (dynamic music)

  • - I don't know why, I already started

  • cutting up the potato a bunch.

  • I don't know whether if this is a necessary.

  • But now that I think about it,

  • when I think of an image of a potato light bulb

  • it's like the light bulb stuck in the potato.

  • So maybe I'm wrong, I don't know.

  • - I am just confused because I'm not sure

  • where the electricity is coming from.

  • These are all things that you can use to conduct it,

  • but we need a source, right?

  • I'm trying to remember what we did in seventh grade.

  • - Oh wait, I just got an idea.

  • Gatorade has electrolytes, and I'm pretty sure

  • that's something that the potatoes need.

  • So I'm gonna go get some Gatorade, okay.

  • Shh, I'll be right back.

  • - What?

  • I'm gonna look so stupid in this video.

  • Oh no.

  • - Start soaking some of these.

  • - I'm gonna put my glasses on.

  • I'm gonna look like an idiot with these on.

  • - This is gonna help me, I think, in the end.

  • Okay. - In case I get electrocuted.

  • (thunder crashing) (upbeat music)

  • Is it crazy if I just stab this into the potato?

  • - Stabby into the potato.

  • - This is just like nifty stuff, I can do that.

  • - It's difficult to deal with these tiny objects.

  • And children have tiny fingers,

  • so it's like an unfair advantage.

  • Of course it's gonna be easier for them.

  • Maybe all the wires need to be connected to each other.

  • Do you know what I mean?

  • Kinda like the internet.

  • Okay, does that look right?

  • It doesn't look right, it certainly doesn't look right.

  • But I think this is one of those things

  • that looks ugly, it's like an ugly thing.

  • Are you just thinking about what you

  • wish you were cooking with these potatoes?

  • - Yeah, I can smell them.

  • It smells very good.

  • (upbeat music)

  • (gasping)

  • I got it!

  • I got a number!

  • - On the clock?

  • - I got 12.

  • - Oh, that means it's turned on.

  • Okay, okay, okay, okay fine.

  • Okay.

  • Well try it with the light,

  • 'cause you have to... (somber music)

  • In order to win you have to get it with the light.

  • - [Inga] Okay.

  • - How much time do we have left?

  • - One minute. - One minute?

  • - Oh no! - Okay, all right.

  • I feel, okay, okay.

  • This is, come on, come on clock.

  • - Where's my wire?

  • (beeping) (dramatic music)

  • (buzzing)

  • - Okay.

  • All right, so I guess you guys

  • can take this away now, I guess.

  • Whoa. - Oh.

  • - What is?

  • That looks...

  • I got the clock working.

  • I don't really know how.

  • - Well you must've made a circuit.

  • - Yeah, I mean I know it's supposed to connect to something.

  • - This was much harder than I thought it would be.

  • - Oh no, I did not even...

  • I totally did not expect to go anywhere with this.

  • - We just wasted so many potatoes

  • you could've eaten, right?

  • - [Inga] So many fries, so many mashed potatoes.

  • - Well I'm very sorry

  • because we are gonna waste more potatoes.

  • We are bringing in a science expert,

  • once again, to show us how to do this project.

  • All right, come on in.

  • (cheering)

  • - Oh boy.

  • Hi.

  • - All right, so I guess you're the science expert.

  • - Yeah, it looks like.

  • - Okay, how old are you?

  • - I'm 11 years old.

  • I'm in sixth grade.

  • - Have you done this before?

  • - Yeah, it's pretty easy.

  • Maybe not for you though.

  • (funky music)

  • - Fine, okay, let's get started.

  • - You guys failed the first time.

  • I gave you a chance, but you failed.

  • So take off your lab coats, you don't deserve it yet.

  • - Okay, I guess you're right. - That's fair, that's fair.

  • Okay, I'll take it.

  • - You're right, you're right, you're absolutely right.

  • - Throw it down.

  • - All right, maybe we'll earn it back.

  • - Okay, so let's do the experiment.

  • - All right.

  • First cut the potato in half.

  • Boiled makes it easier to cut.

  • But that doesn't mean easy.

  • It just means easier.

  • Then cut a small slit into each half,

  • large enough to slide a penny right inside.

  • Then you wrap the copper wire around the pennies,

  • and you have to use a different piece for each penny.

  • Put the little pennies in the little slits.

  • - It's a potato infested penny.

  • - Then you wrap the copper wire around some of the nails.

  • You stick the zinc nails into the potato half.

  • And the nail and the penny can't touch.

  • - How do you know what goes where?

  • - I've done this like five million times.

  • Make sure all the wires are connected.

  • Then finally, you take the two loose ends

  • and connect it to the light.

  • Yeah, let's just test it on this mini clock

  • that we have to see...

  • - [Sarah] Come on baby.

  • - [Douglas] Hey!

  • - Okay, there you go.

  • So there is enough voltage to do the clock.

  • - Okay, so the long end, the one that's slightly longer,

  • you kinda wrap the wire.

  • The shorter end goes with the zinc nail.

  • - It's not working. - Yeah.

  • - [Sarah] It's not working, folks.

  • It's close, but.

  • What do we do then?

  • - If it doesn't light up, you need more voltage,

  • which means you need more potatoes.

  • - Hold on, so potatoes actually do have voltage?

  • - Well, they have electrolytes,

  • which is what's in batteries.

  • - Oh.

  • I feel like we should all be using potatoes.

  • Right?

  • - You could either charge your iPhone

  • or you could have some tater tots.

  • Up to you. - Okay, wow.

  • That's a hard call, that's a really hard call.

  • You say tater tots.

  • We have so many potatoes out here.

  • This has to work, right?

  • How are you feeling, Inga?

  • - Nervous, nervous.

  • I'm also kinda worried, is it gonna electrocute, no right?

  • It doesn't have the energy.

  • - [Sarah] What do you think, might it electrocute us?

  • - Maybe.

  • - Wait. (laughing)

  • - All right, I'm out, bye. - See ya.

  • Okay, so. - The moment of truth.

  • - All right, so go ahead.

  • I've got this one, you've got that.

  • And...

  • (buzzing)

  • (laughing)

  • Look it's lighting up!

  • It's a bunch of different colors.

  • (dynamic music)

  • Oh my god, that light looks really cool.

  • - It's like a disco light shining down.

  • It's like a rave.

  • With the germs and atoms.

  • - Wow, I mean, but what happens if you don't have potatoes?

  • How are you gonna...

  • - You can also use lemons and oranges,

  • which is pretty cool.

  • - Oh, that might've smelled better.

  • I wish we did that.

  • - Then again, do you want lemon juice

  • squirting into your eyes?

  • - You're right, that's dangerous.

  • - We learned a lot today.

  • And we know how to make a potato light,

  • and you guys can do it too.

  • Who knew.

  • I mean, everybody has potatoes at home.

  • It's a fun experiment.

  • Kids can try it, adults can try it.

  • But until next time.

  • When we do and fail our crazy little science experiments.

  • - Or maybe we succeed.

  • - Or maybe we succeed.

  • - Probably not though.

  • - Thank you.

  • Bye! - Bye.

- I'm Sarah.

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