Cells & Batteries

Kavin Dhanapal
What is a battery?
• A battery can be defined as a container of cells in which chemical energy is converted into electrical energy.

• Batteries are used for purposes ranging from powering simple electronics to complex machineries and even vehicles.
Without batteries, your favorite devices would lack the power to operate.

• A battery works using the processes of reduction and oxidation. A metal oxidizes and gives out electrons that move
around a path before being collected by a substance that reduces or gains electrons.

• Rechargeable batteries use the same principle, but they can be reversed, causing the metal to gain electrons again when
electricity is applied.
Common types of batteries
• Different batteries are used for different purposes:

• Lead acid batteries are used in gasoline powered cars

• Lithium-ion batteries are used to power most electronics and appliances

• Alkaline batteries are used for most electronics that aren’t rechargeable

Lead acid Lithium-ion Alkaline

Lead Acid Battery
• These batteries have lead plates surrounding lead oxide sheets, causing an alternating effect.

• This can cause electricity to flow as current flows from the lead oxide cathode to the lead anode, which causes the lead to
give electrons which the lead oxide will later accept. The final product is lead sulfate.

• The voltage difference is about 2 volts per cell and there are usually 6 cells per battery, making a total of 12 volts.

• These batteries give a quick burst of energy, which is useful for starting engines in cars and motorcycles.

• Due to the high power, these batteries are bigger than most other batteries. They are recharged by the engine of the vehicle
they are in.
Lithium-ion Battery
• These batteries have lithium which goes through a chemical reaction to produce lithium ions.

• The ions move from the anode to the cathode and power the devices along its path.

• Lithium-ion batteries are also rechargeable. When they are plugged into a source of electricity,
the electrons move back to the anode.

• Lithium is used because lithium can lose its outermost electron very easily. Lithium is also
very light, which is useful when putting batteries into electronics. Lithium can also be
recharged.

• These batteries are light and can store a lot of power in a small package, which is why its used
in phones and other devices.
Alkaline Battery
• Consisting mainly of zinc and manganese, alkaline batteries are used in non rechargeable
batteries and small cells such as watch batteries.

• Zinc is at the anode and it releases electrons to form zinc oxide. These electrons are
transported to the manganese cathode and causes a reduction reaction to take place. Hydroxide
is transported from the cathode to the anode.

• These batteries can be really small and are used in small appliances such as weighing scales,
watches, and remotes.

• They cannot be recharged, making them not suitable for bigger electronics.
Question from s10 41
Question from s10 41
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