1. B Y : G R A C E P A D D I S O N
The Chemistry of Batteries
2. What are batteries?
“A battery is a package of one or more galvanic cells
used for the protection and storage of electrical
energy by chemical means” (Uwaterloo.edu 1)
Galvanic cells are two half cells that make up a
battery
One half is a reduction cell and the other is a
oxidation cell (Uwaterloo.edu)
3. How batteries work
When a battery is
used, it stimulates
electrical energy that
changes reactants to
products (Holzman 5)
This happens through
redox reactions
It begins when the
circuit in between the
two terminals begin
to create electricity
4. How Electricity Is Made
The electricity is made
through electromagnetic
reactions between anode,
cathode, and electrolyte
Electrolytes are
conductors for electricity
(Holzman 2)
The anode is where the
oxidation takes place
Oxidation is the loss of
electrons
5. How Electricity Is Made (continued)
The cathode is where reduction takes place
Reduction is the gaining of electrons (Uwaterloo.edu
1)
The chemical reaction begins, when the oxidation
cell release two or more ions from the electrolyte
The ions combine with the anode to produce a
compound and release more electrons
These electrons will combine with the free electrons
from the reduction reaction (Brain, Marshall,
Charles W. Bryant, and Clint Pumphrey 1)
6. Electricity Uses in Batteries
“The reaction in the anode creates electrons, and the
reaction in the cathode absorbs them. The net
product is electricity” (Brain, Marshall, Charles W.
Bryant, and Clint Pumphrey 1)
Batteries are becoming more important with they
advancements in electric cars
The batteries are allowing them to store large
amounts of electricity that will allow the cars to go
further without using much gas
7. The chemistry in batteries
The battery designers are
able to use redox reactions to
produce electricity in the car
batteries
They have to be careful to not
combine redox chemicals
because that would instantly
discharge the batteries
This produce only heat and
not electricity (Holzman 5)
The redox reactions are
crucial to the functioning of
batteries
8. Works Cited
http://www.seai.ie/Grants/Electric_Vehicle_Grant_Scheme/I_am_a_consum
er/Battery_Chemistry_Life_and_Warranty/
http://shure.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/250/~/batteries-and-
wireless-microphones
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v451/n7179/fig_tab/451652a_F2.htm
l
Works Cited
Brain, Marshall, Charles W. Bryant, and Clint Pumphrey. "How
Batteries Work." how stuff works. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2014.
<http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/everyday-tech/battery7.htm>.
Holzman, David. "Electric Cars." Chem Matters Apr. 1993: 4-7. Print.
Uwaterloo, ed. Chemistry of Batteries. cchieh@uwaterloo.ca, n.d. Web.
3 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.science.uwaterloo.ca/~cchieh/cact/c123/battery.html>.
