Do you know that there is such a thing as a one-way remote control? It is something that you can use to turn something on – but not to turn it off. A piezoelectric igniter, like the lighters for butane-fueled barbecue or propane grills, can actually be used to create a one way remote control.
Find out how by following these steps.
What you will need:
- Piezoelectric igniter
- Aluminum foil
- Plastic film can
- Series circuit materials (D cell battery, battery holder, small propeller, alligator clips, wires)
What you need to do:
- Cut some of the aluminum into two strips, making sure that they do not touch each other when they are placed in the can as per photo below.
- Crumple some more aluminum foil to make 1cm balls.
- Put the aluminum balls into the film can – enough so that they can serve as a bridge between the two foil strips.
- Create a series circuit by wiring the battery holder and connecting the negative terminal to one of the aluminum foil strips in the plastic film can. Take another wire and connect the positive terminal to the propeller. Use another wire to connect the propeller to the other foil strip in the film can. See the photo below.
- The circuit used will not make the propeller move. But when the piezoelectric igniter is snapped near the film can, it should make the propeller move. To turn off the propeller, disconnect one of the wires for a few seconds or shake the film can to reposition the aluminum balls. This should break the circuit.
- To restart the propeller, snap the igniter once more. Try to move the igniter far from the circuit to see how far it can go and still make the propeller start. You can also connect a wire to the igniter and use it as an antenna to see if it can start the propeller at a greater distance.
What just happened:
The secret that allows the igniter to be a one-way remote control to start the propeller lies in the aluminum foil. This material has a thin oxide film covering. The loose arrangement of the foil strips and balls can block the electric current – thus making the circuit incomplete. But when the piezoelectric igniter is snapped, a large radiating electric field is created. This allows the current to go through the oxide film to complete the circuit.
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