Would you like to know what goes on inside batteries? It’s quite simple really, although with all the different types around it gets confusing. Batteries are stores of energy they release under the right conditions. As Office of Science explains, this is not an exclusive talent. Wood does the same thing. It releases heat when we burn it. So does fossil fuel, although we should stop doing that real soon.
The Low Down on What Goes on Inside Batteries
Batteries use chemistry to store and release energy, although they must be connected by a loop to an external device to achieve this. This external source could be a battery charger, or a suitably-rated device they power. Although in the case of lithium-ion batteries, they could also spontaneously release the energy if something goes wrong.
The power provided by a battery charger becomes potential chemical energy as it enters the cell. This containment comprises one positive terminal, and one negative terminal separated by an electrolyte substance. When we connect such a battery to an external load two things happen simultaneously:
- Electrons move from the negative to the positive terminal through the external loop electrifying the device.
- Ions move from the positive to the negative terminal through the electrolyte, restoring the balance.
That’s what goes on inside batteries in a nut shell. However, there is a little more you should know to complete the picture.
The Difference between Primary and Secondary Batteries
In the case of a single-use primary battery, the above is a one-off event. When the battery is flat, it should go to a recycling service to recover the minerals. However, in the case of rechargeable, secondary batteries, we can reverse the process, and reinstate the potential chemical charge.
But, both the battery charger and the external load must have the same rating as the battery for this system to work. We won’t baffle you with science when all you needed to know is what goes on inside batteries in simple terms. You have your answer now, and we sincerely hope this post enriched your understanding.
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