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We Analyzed the Iconic Scene from Breaking Bad and Explain Whether It’s Viable to Build an Improvised Car Battery with Limited Resources in Real Life
If you are a science lover or a fan of TV shows, you have probably succumbed to the phenomenon Breaking Bad. Acclaimed as one of the best series of all time, it brilliantly combines entertainment and science. One of the aspects that caught the fans’ attention the most was the construction of a car battery using improvised objects.
The series has an engaging narrative and breathtaking moments, and the production also brought surprisingly accurate scientific concepts to the screen. But to what extent is what we saw in Breaking Bad real?
Walter White’s Transformation
The plot revolves around Walter White, a high school chemistry teacher who, after being diagnosed with stage three lung cancer, decides to abandon his monotonous life.
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Determined to secure his family’s financial future, he resorts to manufacturing methamphetamine, enlisting the help of Jesse Pinkman, a former student and small-time dealer. Thus begins the feared Heisenberg, a figure who would dominate the streets of Albuquerque, New Mexico.
What sets Walter White apart from other fictional crime bosses is his ability to use science as a weapon. While many rely on brute force, Walt impresses with creative solutions, often based on chemical principles.
The Science Behind Breaking Bad
The show gained recognition for depicting scientific concepts with an impressive degree of accuracy.
The chemistry presented in various scenes is real, sparking the curiosity of viewers of all ages. However, despite the rigor in many moments, some passages still fall short of reality.
One of the most iconic examples from the series that blends science and drama is the episode “4 Days Out.” In it, Walt and Jesse find themselves in a desperate situation, stranded in the desert with the trailer’s battery dead. The solution they come up with? To build an improvised car battery.
The Improvised Car Battery: Science or Fiction?
Before gaining access to the sophisticated super lab presented in the following seasons, Walt and Jesse used a mobile lab, a trailer that they took to the desert.
During one of these operations, Jesse accidentally left the keys in the ignition, draining the battery and leaving the duo without cell signal and isolated.
That’s when Walter White springs into action. After calming down and criticizing Jesse, he decides to build a mercury battery to jump-start the trailer. The idea may seem absurd, but it has scientific grounding.
How Does a Battery Work?
A battery stores and generates electrical energy through chemical reactions. It consists of four main parts:
- Anode: Negative electrode that releases electrons.
- Cathode: Positive electrode that absorbs electrons.
- Electrolyte: Solution that allows ions to move between the anode and cathode.
- Conductor: Material that carries electrons, usually a metal wire.
When two different metals are placed in an electrolytic solution, the difference in their chemical reactivities generates a flow of current. This forms a basic electrochemical cell. A complete battery is simply several of these cells combined.
Walter White’s Version
Following this basic concept, Walter constructed his battery like this:
- For the anode, he used coins, screws, and other pieces of metal containing zinc.
- For the cathode, he utilized brake pads from the trailer, made of mercury oxide and graphite.
- The electrolyte was potassium hydroxide, a byproduct of the methamphetamine manufacturing process.
- As a conductor, he employed copper wires available in the trailer.
He separated the anode and cathode with sponges soaked in the electrolyte, as they would short-circuit if they touched. Then, he combined six of these fuel cells. And, according to the series narrative, this was enough to start the engine and get them out of the desert.
The Scientific Reality of the Car Battery Scene
Despite following a structurally sound design, it is unlikely that an improvised battery like Walter White’s would provide enough energy to start an automotive engine. Such a simple battery would generate only a fraction of the necessary current. Therefore, in practice, the duo would likely remain stranded in the desert.
Even so, the scene worked perfectly within the narrative. It showcased Walter White’s genius and reinforced the series’ premise of creatively mixing science with drama.
Even if the proposed solution was not entirely viable, the scientific explanation offered was convincing enough to capture the audience’s attention.
Breaking Bad stands out among so many productions for addressing science in an engaging and, most of the time, accurate manner. The series accomplished the feat of making chemistry interesting to a diverse audience, stimulating interest in complex concepts without losing dramatic dynamics.
With information from scienceabc.
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