Which Brand of Batteries Is Stronger or Lasts Longer? (page 2)

Show Your Results

For "Go Far," make tables that compare several brands. Add columns to show multiple trials and your calculated averages.

Make line graphs from the tables. Show how the electrical tester readings changed over the time of the experiment. Put volts on the vertical axis. Put time on the horizontal axis. Use different colors of lines for different brands of batteries.

State a brief conclusion that compares brands of batteries and how long they last. If you can, use number relationships in your conclusion. For example, you might find that HappyBat's readings were 20 percent higher than SadBat's readings throughout your experiment.

Put your electrical tester readings in a data table like this for "Go" and "Go Easy":

Tips and Tricks

• At the beginning of the experiment, all the batteries of the same brand should have nearly the same reading on the tester—although different brands may not. If your batteries vary too much, buy fresh ones.
• The 30-minute measurement interval in "Go" works best for flashlights that use 2 or 4 large, size D batteries. Smaller flashlights that use AA batteries may run down faster. Measure every 10–15 minutes.
• If a flashlight bulb burns out before the battery goes dead, stop the experiment. Get new bulbs in all the flashlights and start over.

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