Battery Basics
A battery is a device that stores chemical energy and has the means to convert it directly into electrical energy.
From tiny batteries found in hearing aids, to massive batteries used in electrical power grids, they show up everywhere in modern life.
And they are the crucial component that makes battery electric vehicles possible.
This lesson will provide an overview of batteries: their basic structure, operation, and properties.
Basic Structure
Batteries come in a seemingly limitless array of designs but they all have a basic structure in common.
Cathode
Electrode
Anode
Electrode
Separator
Electrolyte
There are four main components needed to build a battery.
- A cathode electrode
- An anode electrode
- A separator
- An electrolyte
The cathode is the positive electrode. When the battery is in a circuit this will be the electrode which has a positive charge and draws electrons to it.
The anode the negative electrode. This will supply the excess electrons needed for a current flow.
The separator is a barrier which is needed to ensure that the anode and the cathode never touch, as this would short out the battery. The separator is porous, which allows positive ions to freely flow across.
Finally, there's the electrolyte.
This is a material that connects both electrodes. It is needed to allow positive ions to flow back and forth between the electrodes, but, crucially, it discourages the flow of electrons.
The electrolyte can be a liquid, a paste, or even a solid material.
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