Batteries convert chemical energy into electrical energy through the process of electrolysis. During electrolysis, electrons are transferred from one electrode to another through an electrolyte. Batteries are devices that store chemical energy.
Batteries release electricity by converting the stored chemical energy back into electrical energy through a chemical reaction that creates a flow of electrons. What are the main components of a battery?
A battery for the purposes of this explanation will be a device that can store energy in a chemical form and convert that stored chemical energy into electrical energy when needed. These are the most common batteries, the ones with the familiar cylindrical shape.
Batteries are valued as devices that store chemical energy and convert it into electrical energy. Unfortunately, the standard description of electrochemistry does not explain specifically where or how the energy is stored in a battery; explanations just in terms of electron transfer are easily shown to be at odds with experimental observations.
Batteries are a non-renewable form of energy but when rechargeable batteries store energy from renewable energy sources they can help reduce our use of fossil fuels and cut down carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas production. Find out why batteries may have a key role to play in making our energy supply greener. What is a battery?
If the battery is disposable, it will produce electricity until it runs out of reactants (same chemical potential on both electrodes). These batteries only work in one direction, transforming chemical energy to electrical energy. But in other types of batteries, the reaction can be reversed.