Batteries are galvanic cells, or a series of cells, that produce an electric current. When cells are combined into batteries, the potential of the battery is an integer multiple of the potential of a single cell. There are two basic types of batteries: primary and secondary. Primary batteries are “single use” and cannot be recharged.
In order to reach each other the particles must travel through the circuit via the terminals. In modern batteries, the plates are surrounded by electrolyte fluid and an insulating tube. Because of this a battery creates a potential difference between it's two terminals when connected.
All batteries cells are based only on this basic principle. Let’s discuss one by one. As we said earlier, Alessandro Volta developed the first battery cell, and this cell is popularly known as the simple voltaic cell. This type of simple cell can be created very easily. Take one container and fill it with diluted sulfuric acid as the electrolyte.
Primary batteries are single-use batteries because they cannot be recharged. A common primary battery is the dry cell (Figure 17.5.1 17.5. 1). The dry cell is a zinc-carbon battery. The zinc can serves as both a container and the negative electrode.
To understand the basic principle of battery properly, first, we should have some basic concept of electrolytes and electrons affinity. Actually, when two dissimilar metals are immersed in an electrolyte, there will be a potential difference produced between these metals.
This is known as electrochemistry and the system that underpins a battery is called an electrochemical cell. A battery can be made up of one or several (like in Volta's original pile) electrochemical cells. Each electrochemical cell consists of two electrodes separated by an electrolyte.