TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER I

A. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

B. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
C. OBJECTIVES

1. General Objectives
This research aims to find out the following:
2. Specific Objectives
This research aims to find out the following:

D. HYPOTHESES
E. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
F. SCOPE AND LIMITATION

CHAPTER II

A. REVIEW OF RELATED STUDIES AND LITERATURE

1. Related Studies
2. Review of Related Literature

CHAPTER III - METHODOLOGY

CHAPTER IV – RESULT AND DISCUSSION

CHAPTER V – CONCLUSION

CHAPTER VI - RECOMMENDATIONS

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 ABSTRACT

20th millennium… computer age… technology everywhere. The impact of technology

could not be avoided. The use of electric gadgets has become a necessity not only in the
urbanized societies but in remote areas as well, thus we will observe that even the minorities in
the mountains are equipped with cellphones, calculators and other gadgets in their daily dealings.

Ordinarily, electronic gadgets such as calculators are either powered by rechargeable

batteries or by solar power; in the absence or un availability of those sources of power, the
gadget will be useless.

This experimental study provides for an alternative source of power for electronic
calculators in cases of emergency and unavailability of commercial battery or solar power.

Water (either salt or tap), carbon rod from a drained battery and a three-inch piece of
aluminum foil are the only materials needed to equal a commercial battery. This experimental
study therefore is not just an answer to an immediate need, it is also economically cheap being a
product of recycled materials.

INTRODUCTION

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 Background of the Study

Calculators operated by batteries and solar calculators could be bought anywhere. From
a big mall to a sidewalk vendor. Its availability or presence in the market is due to the fact that
are living in a world run by technology. Gone are the days that we can count things by merely
using sticks and stones and our fingers as well. The pupils/students have greater demand in use
of calculators. Although, some teachers do not encourage the use of calculators in the elementary
high school students and college students are required to use them in some subjects. Most offices
still use calculator despite the emergence of computers. Businesses are often run by numbers,
therefore even a retail or sari-sari store in fur flung areas need calculators.

Although you will buy a calculator once and you have it for a long period of time with
extra care, the problem lies in the use of batteries. You need to replace them every now and then.
And they are costly. Even you have money living in remote areas, stores offering batteries could
not be accessible. Solar calculators could be an alternative but still weather is your greatest foe. It
is not always sunny.

The reason why the researcher conducted this research is to look for an alternative for
batteries. After intensive researches and studies, she came up with water. Finally, water has
another important use and that is to run a calculator. It is a very good alternative that could be
offered by the researcher. Through this study, she will be able to help people save a lot of money
and energy. And those living in remote areas can have an alternative to batteries. What they need
to do is just maximize the use of water.

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STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Calculators are usually powered by commercial battery; aside from being costly, these batteries
contain obnoxious materials that are non- environment friendly; these are some of the reasons
why researchers developed battery-free and environment friendly calculators.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

Generally, this study aimed to determine the efficacy of water as an alternative source
of power in using calculator.

Specifically, this study aimed to

1. Determine if the water can be a source of power similar to that of a commercial battery.

2. Determine the significant difference in using water powered calculator with that of
using commercial batteries, in terms of:

a. Battery lifetime;
b. Sufficiency in voltage or power supply

HYPOTHESES

1. Battery users can save a lot of money if they use water as substitute to activate their
calculator.

2. There is a significant difference of using water as a source of power from using

commercial batteries. In terms of:

a. Time duration of the water batteries.

b. Sufficiency of voltage supply as indicated by the clearness of the digits on the

calculator’s screen.

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SIGNIFICANCE of the STUDY

The result of this study will give people the idea that water is an available source of
power, for a battery-free world. This research is important not just for environmentalist but to all
who use battery to power their devices; it will also benefit its users economically for water have
equally the same good quality as that of commercial battery, but with lesser or even no economic
burden from its user;

a. Proven to be effective, this product can be used for learning purposes, home
and utmost for business purposes.

SCOPE and LIMITATIONS

This study is limited only in observing and analyzing the difference of AQUACALCU
or water activated calculator, compared to commercial battery-operated calculators in saving
money, sufficiency in voltage supply as indicated in the clearness of the digits on the calculator’s
screen.

DEFINITION of TERMS

 BATTERIES – is a device consisting of two or more electrochemical cells that convert

stored chemical energy into electrical energy. Each cell has a positive terminal, or
cathode and a negative terminal or anode. The terminal marked negative.

 ELECTROLYTES – is a substance that produces an electrically conducting solution

when dissolved in a polar solvent, such as water.

 ELECTRODES – is an electrical conductor used to make contact with a non-metallic

part of a circuit.

 WATER – (chemical formula: H20) is a transparent fluid which forms the world’s
streams, lakes, oceans and rain, and is the major constituent of the fluids of organisms.

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 CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

REVIEW of RELATED STUDIES

Water Powered Flashlight

Batteries are too mainstream, but the DIY water-powered flashlight never runs out of
batteries as water is available all around and will never run out as well.

Commercial batteries contain heavy metals such as lead and mercury as their primary
components thus, we can just imagine the hazardous effects that a single battery may bring not
only to the physical and mental development of a person but also to the worldwide environment.
That’s for a single lead and mercury loaded battery. What about if we consider the volume of
batteries being disposed-off daily worldwide?

Using water as electrolyte as battery power is a solution to the unfriendly effects of

commercial batteries. This is the type of battery called “Galvanic Cell” ; it have two different
types of metals which are connected by a salt bridge.

It works like your typical battery but uses water as its electrolyte. If you want to read more
about how batteries work. The output voltage is pretty faint and isn’t enough to run a single
LED. The LEDs would glow even at low voltages. Water serves as an electrolyte, a replacement
for toxic chemicals used in regular batteries, which usually end up in dumpsites.

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RELATED LITERATURE

Pure water is actually an excellent insulator and does not conduct electricity. Water that
would be considered “pure” would be distilled water (water condensed from steam) and
deionized water (used in laboratories) although even water of this purity can contain ions. Water
quits being an excellent insulator once it starts dissolving substances around it. Salts, such as
common table salt (NaCl) is the one we know best. In chemical terms, salts are iconic
compounds composed of cations (positively charged ions) and anions (negatively charged ions).
In solution, these ions essentially cancel each other out so that the solution is electrically neutral
(without a net charge). Even a small amount of ion in a water solution makes it able to conduct
electricity (so definitely don’t add salt to your “lightning-storm” bath water. Once water contains
these ions it will conduct electricity, such as from a lightning bolt or a wire from the wall socket,
as the electricity from the source will seek out oppositely-charged ions in the water. Too bad if
there is a human body in the way.

Interestingly, if the water contains very large amounts of solutes and ions, then the water
becomes such an efficient conductor of electricity that an electrical current may essentially
ignore a human body in the water and stick to the better pathway to conduct itself- the masses of
ions in the water. That is why the danger of electrocution in sea water is less than it would be in
bath water. (Wikipedia)

The U.S Geological Survey (USGS) cited water flowing in streams contains extensive
amounts of dissolved salts. Many water studies include investigating the fish that live in streams,
and one way to collect fish for scientific study is to shoot an electrical current through the water
to shock the fishes.

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 CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

The researchers used the following materials;

MATERIALS

 Calculator
 Carbon rod (positive charge)
 Aluminum (negative charge)
 2 cylindrical containers
 2 wires
 2 alligator clips
 Multipurpose pliers
 Glue gun, glue stick
 Soldering iron
 3 types of Liquid
1. Tap water
2. Distilled water
3. Salt water
 3 liquid containers

PROCEDURES

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Step 1: Making holes on the container

- Use soldering iron to make holes on top of the container

Step 2: Adding the carbon rod (positive charge)

- Position the carbon rod by inserting it on the holes of the container

Step 3: Adding the aluminum (negative charge)

- Glue the foil in place as the negative plate

Step 4: Connect water’s wires

- Connect the wire of the water battery and glue it so it won’t leak. Positive wire
connected to carbon rod while negative is connected to aluminum.

Step 5: Disassembling the calculator

- Remove the cover on the location of the battery

Step 6: Connect the water battery to the calculator

- The carbon rod is positive while the aluminum is negative. Be sure to disconnect the
solar panel.

Step 7: Assemble it again

- Put it back together again

Step 8: Fill the water battery

- Liquid rating
1. Tap water
2. Salt water
3. Distilled water

Step 9: AquaCalcu is finished!!!

- You are now done. You just need to refill it again after it run out of power.
- Adding more batteries would be better.
FLOW CHART

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1.Making holes on the container 2. Adding the carbon rod

4.Connect the water’s wire 3. Adding the aluminum

5.Disassembling the calculator 6. Connect the water battery to the calculator

8. Fill the water batteries 7. Assemble it again

9. Aqua Calcu is finish

CHAPTER IV

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 RESULT AND DISCUSSION

RESULT
When the researcher had their first try, the product wasn’t convincing as expected,
the digits on the calculator’s screen are blurry. The water batteries get easily drained and the
energy was not sustained, also the products feature is not convincing.
During the second try and experimentation, the researcher finally got it right, it was
successfully done and had a good result.

TESTING the PRODUCT

In testing the product, the researcher used a 4point scale to know if there is a
significant difference between water activated calculator and commercial calculator. The
researcher rated the experiment product and commercial product with 10 unknown respondents
using 4 as the highest score and 1 as the lowest. In terms of:
a. Time duration of the water batteries
b. Clearness of the digits on the calculator’s screen

Table 1: Time duration of the batteries

4 If the water batteries or commercial batteries

last for 24 hours
3 The water batteries or commercial batteries
last for 12 hours
2 The water batteries or commercial batteries
last for 6 hours
1 The water batteries or commercial batteries
last for an hour

Table 1 shows a 4-point scale in rating the experimental product in terms of time
duration of the water batteries and it was rated by 10 unknown respondents with 4 as the highest
rating and 1 as the lowest rating.
In terms of time duration of the batteries the commercial batteries get 4-points while the
water batteries get 3 points.

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Table 2: Clearness of the digits on the calculator’s screen

4 The digits were very clear

3 The digits were almost clear
2 The digits were likely not clear
1 The digits were not clear

Table 2 shows a 4-point scale in rating the experimental product in terms of clearness of the
digits on the calculator’s screen and it was rated by 10 unknown respondents with a 4 as the
highest rating and 1 as the lowest rating.

In terms of clearness of the digits on the calculator’s screen both commercial batteries and
water batteries get 4 points.

CHAPTER V

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CONCLUSION

The result showed that AquaCalcu: A water activated calculator is a good alternative for
battery free calculator. There is a significant difference between the experimental product and
commercial product when it comes to saving money, time, duration of the batteries and clearness
of the digits on the calculator’s screen.
This study is an environment – friendly science investigatory project. This is significant
and help us lessen the expenses of buying commercial batteries. It also helps lessen the use of
toxic chemicals and more on maintaining salinity of the environment.

CHAPTER VI

RECOMMENDATIONS

The researcher recommends that the experimental product should be used permanently by
the user to test its effectiveness.

The procedure of making AQUACALCU should be done accordingly to the given

methods and carefully handle all the materials and equipment so it won’t give any harm effect to
the manufacturer.

It is also recommended to use salt water as the water batteries because salt water is a
better type of electrolytes and sealed the bottles tightly so the water wont spill out.

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PICTURES

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