Electrical Battery

Battery Theory Summary The purpose of a battery is to store chemical energy and to convert this chemical energy into electrical energy when the need arises.

A voltaic cell develops a potential difference when electrodes of two different metals are immersed in an electrolyte. One electrode accumulates a positive charge. The potential difference is due to the difference in charge between the two electrodes.

When a lead-acid battery is discharged, electrolyte and the active material on the plates of the battery are consumed to produce water and lead sulphate.

When a lead-acid battery is charged, electrical energy is added to the battery, causing the water and lead sulphate to be consumed and produce electrolyte and active material.

Since specific gravity of a lead-acid battery decreases proportionally during discharge, the value of specific gravity at any given time is an approximate indication of the battery’s state of charge.

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