All batteries work the same way, despite the various types appearing totally different to the eye. Batteries are increasingly under the scientific spotlight as grid storage devices. They are also becoming a potential substitute for gasoline in autos. We use batteries in almost every aspect of our lives, yet few of us have the faintest idea of how they work. We created this blog so everybody could know.
A High Level Summary of How Batteries Work
A battery is a simple device. It has one or more electrochemical cells with external connections to deliver a flow of electricity. We call the positive connection the cathode terminal, and the negative one the anode. When we connect these terminals via an external device, the electricity flows from the negative terminal to the positive.
This device could be a laptop computer, a cell phone, or an electric vehicle, but these are just examples. During this process, ions move between the terminals inside the battery, allowing the current to flow. When we recharge a battery, we basically put the ions back where they belong.
Sounds simple, doesn’t it. Although there is a pile of chemistry happening behind these words. This theory belongs in the realm of scientists.
They understand what happens inside batteries, but they are only beginning to figure out why batteries work that way. When we have all the answers, we will have super batteries someday.
If This Is All So Simple, Why Do Batteries Catch Fire
Ions use energy to move between the terminals inside a battery. It’s the way batteries work. The space gets warmer when this happens, just as we perspire when we run a mile. If we were to short circuit a battery, we speed this process up considerably and generate more heat. Most battery fires are due to terminals touching inside the casing.
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Preview image: Lead-Acid Battery
