Batteries: An Introduction

In Batteries: An Introduction, you'll learn ...

• The parts of a voltaic cell and how they operate
• Types of voltaic cells
• How cells are interconnected to form a battery

Overview

Preview a portion of this course before purchasing it.

Credit: 2 PDH

Length: 31 pages

Electricity cannot always be generated where and when it is needed. A battery is a device consisting of one or more electrochemical cells that convert stored chemical energy into electrical energy.

Many different types of batteries are available for a wide variety of applications, from storing solar power for satellites in space to powering heart pacemakers fitted inside peoples' chests. All batteries contain one or more cells, but the terms "battery" and "cell" are often used interchangeably. A cell is the working chemical unit inside a battery. Each cell has a positive terminal and a negative terminal. These do not touch each other but are immersed in a solid or liquid electrolyte. When a battery is connected to an electric circuit, a chemical reaction takes place in the electrolyte causing ions (electrically charged atoms) to flow through it. This movement of electric charge makes an electric current flow through the cell and through the circuit it is connected to.

Cells can be divided into primary cells and secondary cells. Primary cells include dry cells, better known as flashlight batteries. Secondary cells, better known as rechargeable batteries, include the lead-acid batteries used in automobiles and the nickel-cadmium batteries used in cellular phones. Unlike primary cells, secondary cells can be recharged simply by passing a current through them in the reverse direction to which they normally allow a current to flow. This course will discuss the characteristics and application of different types of batteries.

Specific Knowledge or Skill Obtained

This course teaches the following specific knowledge and skills:

• The parts and purpose of a cell
• The chemical process that takes place in the primary and secondary cells
• Understand battery terminology, including electrochemical action, anode, cathode, and electrolyte
• The causes of polarization and local action and the methods of preventing these effects
• The various cells in use today and some of their capabilities and limitations
• What are the three ways of combining cells to form a battery
• General maintenance procedures for batteries including the use of the hydrometer, battery capacity, and rating and battery charging
• Safety precautions for working with and around batteries.

Certificate of Completion

You will be able to immediately print a certificate of completion after passing a multiple-choice quiz consisting of 20 questions. PDH credits are not awarded until the course is completed and quiz is passed.