|
Overview of Battery Chemical Mechanism
As the Conservation of Energy Theorem states, energy cannot be
created or destroyed, but it can be saved in various forms. One of
the ways to store it is in the form of chemical energy in a battery.
When connected in a circuit, a battery can produce electricity.
If you look at a battery, it will have two ends -- a positive
terminal and a negative terminal (note that the naming of negative
and positive is really arbitrary, but let us not get too deep here).
If you connect the two terminals with wire, a circuit is formed.
Electrons will flow through the wire and a current of electricity is
produced.
Inside the battery, a reaction between the chemicals takes place.
But reaction takes place only if there is a flow of electrons.
Batteries can be stored for a long time and still work because the
chemical process doesn't start until the electrons flow from the
negative to the positive terminals through a circuit.
Details
of the Chemical Reaction
Let us examine the
zinc-carbon battery (sometimes called the carbon battery) to see an
example of the chemical reaction that is a battery cell. This
battery contains acidic material within and a rod of zinc down the
center. Here's where knowing a little bit of chemistry helps.
When zinc is inserted into an acid, the acid begins to eat away at
the zinc, releasing hydrogen gas and heat energy. The acid molecules
break up into its components: usually hydrogen and other atoms. The
process releases electrons from the Zinc atoms that combine with
hydrogen ions in the acid to create the hydrogen gas. If a rod of
carbon is inserted into the acid, the acid does nothing to it. But
if you connect the carbon rod to the zinc rod with a wire, creating
a circuit, electrons will begin to flow through the wire and combine
with hydrogen on the carbon rod. This still releases a little bit of
hydrogen gas but it makes less heat. Some of that heat energy is the
energy that is flowing through the circuit.
The energy in that circuit can now light a light bulb in a
flashlight or turn a small motor. Depending on the size of the
battery, it can even start an automobile. Eventually, the zinc rod
is completely dissolved by the acid in the battery, and the battery
can no longer be used.
Coming soon....The future of batteries... >>> |
Filters & Accessories
