How do batteries work

Batteries are ever increasingly becoming a part of our everyday lives. As we move to more portable devices a portable energy source for such devices are ever increasingly becoming popular. So that brings up the question, how to batteries work?


Firstly a battery is a device which is made up of one or more cells which uses There are many types of batteries but there are 4 main types of cells,  a wet cell, dry cell, molten salt and reverse. Although each battery is different they all work in a similar fashion.

Firstly, electricity is a flow of electrons in a system or a circuit. The electrons are pushed by an electric field in a particular direction. In a battery in order for the electrons to flow, a chemical reaction occurs. A reaction which causes a release of electrical energy in known as a electro chemical reaction. The two terminals, once connected to each other, allow the electrons to flow between them. The positive end is known as the cathode and the negative end is known as the anode. These terminals are actually rods in the battery which are separated by a operator and the liquid or solid in the battery.

The solid or liquid which separates the two terminals is known as an electrolyte. This electrolyte is what produces the car. The chemical reaction occurring in the battery is known as a redox reaction where certain chemicals lose electrons while others gain. In a battery it is the electrodes which undergo reactions to form ions. When an element has more or less electrons then it normally has, it forms what is known as a ion.

The cathode   produces positively charge ions  (chemicals with less electrons the normal) and an electron.The anode produces the negative ions. Since like charges repeal, the electrons will flow around the circuit while the positive ions will flow to the anode. This is what causes the electricity to flow.

So this reaction is basically what happens. The battery brakes up chemicals to produce electrical energy.