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batteries history
batteries history
The History of Batteries and How They Work
The In 1789 Alessandro Volta put a zinc rod and a copper rod together in some ocid. As the acid ate away a' (or reacted with) the zinc rod (the negative electrode) the copper rod (the positive electrode) captured the energy released from the reaction. That energy created a voltage between the rodsVolta had created the wet battery! The first dry cell battery (like the ones we use now] wasn't developed until 1888almost a hundred years laterbut it was based on the principles Volta had discovered. Todays general purpose batteries are more sophisticated. Even though they are dry cells they share many similarities with Voltas first battery. Look at the diagram above. The outside of the battery is a can made of zinc. This can is the negative electrode. The positive electrode is the carbon rod in the middle of the con. Between the electrodes taking the place of acid in Voltas battery are an electrolyte and something called a cathode mix. The battery produces electricity when the zinc can reacts with the electrolyte and and the electrolyte reacts with the cathode mix. As the three substances are used up the batteries voltage drops until it can't power anythingknown as a dead battery.
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