The secret life of a battery is hidden deep inside the case. Here we think of the small batteries in remote controls and toys. Not to mention the wireless keyboards, mouses, wall clocks, and smoke detectors on which we all depend. Most consumers have no idea what goes on inside their batteries, so let’s explore.
Let’s Enter The Secret Life of Batteries
Let’s enter the secret world of alkaline batteries, a zone almost all consumers never see. Everything you need to know is in the drawing at the top of this page. Please never try to open actual batteries, because some of them contain chemicals that could harm you.
In today’s article we examine a single-use, cylindrical, alkaline battery. We chose this because we all know these safe, longer-life batteries well. Like most other batteries, alkaline ones store chemical energy, and then convert it to electrical energy to power small devices.
If we look at the picture at the top of this page, we can see a bump at the top of the battery, with a (+) sign nearby. This is the positive end of the battery that we call the cathode. The flat bottom end of the battery forms the negative anode, as indicated by the (-) sign.
How an Alkaline Battery Works
We almost forgot to mention the porous separator, that controls how the cathode and the anode store and release electrical energy. A new, single use alkaline battery contains a supply of chemicals. When these chemicals are used up, the battery is flat (unless it is a rechargeable one).
The chemicals we referred to a moment ago, are actually microscopic ions. The battery stores these ions in the anode until a device requires electricity. The ions then move across to the cathode, while electrons (electricity) flow through the device in the other direction.
This was just a simple overview of the secret life of a battery to give you a general idea. We append links to more detailed explanations of how batteries work, and much more. We find our world of batteries amazing. We dedicate this blog to exploring it, so we can share the fascinating details with you.
More Information
How Does a Lead Acid Battery Work?
Anodes and Cathodes and Their Roles
