Physics in Minutes by Giles Sparrow

Author:Giles Sparrow [Sparrow, Giles]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: BISAC code from Hub Subject field
Publisher: Quercus

Cells and batteries

An electrochemical cell is a device that uses chemical reactions in order to generate electrical energy, and a battery is a group of linked cells. The simplest cell design uses two electrodes separated by an electrolyte (a substance that dissolves to release electrically charged ions). An electrode and its electrolyte are sometimes termed a ‘half-cell’ – in some designs two half-cells have different electrolytes and are connected by a ‘bridge’ of conducting material.

When the two electrodes are connected through an external circuit, charge is free to flow through the electrolyte and a chemical reaction begins. Negatively charged ions in one half-cell migrate towards their electrode (called the anode) where they lose electrons to become electrically neutral, while positively charged ions in the other half-cell migrate to the other electrode (the cathode) where they pick up electrons. Each half-cell creates its own emf (see Electromotive force), and the combination of the two defines the cell’s overall voltage.

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