Batteries

• Dissimilar metals in contact (or in an electrolyte) produce an electric potential difference

• Volta’s battery: Silver, Zinc and paper soaked in a salt solution

• batteries are composed of many cells (many layers)

• one cell’s potential difference depends on the choice of the metals

two ways to connect cells:

• I. In series

-resulting voltage (tension) is the sum of the cells tension

• II. In parallel

- does not increase the voltage, increase the effective size of the battery--> will last longer

• batteries that can be recharged: storage batteries (car battery)

• non-rechargeable batteries: dry cells

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