How Does Current Flow in a Battery and What Causes Heat Production?

[tzero]

Hi, I didn't know if this is a homework question it didn't fit any of the template layout. If it is let me know and I'll post it there but I have some question that have become very frustrating and more frustrating in finding answers to them. If you are able to answer this question you just helped a student out and I thank you. The question is "At the negative terminal of a battery does the electrons of the net negative charge atom flow through the copper wires to the cathode end or is it only the copper atoms valence electrons that flow to the positive terminal of the battery or does both happen? and the electrons in the battery only fill in the copper atom holes?" Another one that puzzles me is does the net negative charge battery atoms ever strike the copper atoms valence electrons? And if so is that what causes heat? or is heat produced when the copper atoms strike each other when they randomly zigzag to the positive end of the terminal? What happens to the electrons that is received at the positive end of the battery does the electrolytes transfer the electrons to the negative terminal so that it can repeat the flow again? Last one when the copper atoms loose electrons because it's attracted to the positively charged terminal. That copper atom becomes a cation how does current flow if that atom has a net positive charge? Once again i really appreciate any input that you give me as it has perplexed me for sometime.

 

[256bits]

What are "net negative charge battery atoms"?
Can you really explain what those words strung together actually mean as an ensemble?

Voltaic cells function as a result of what is called half-cell reactions.
A battery is several voltaic cells connected together, so technically that is why you have a 1.5v dry cell for your electronic equipment and a 12 volt battery for your car.
Holes are not a significant charge carrier for a battery.

The chemical reaction with the voltaic cell give one terminal a positive charge and the other a negative charge. Completing a circuit between the terminals allows electrons to flow from one terminal to the other. Within the cell itself there is an an electrolyte, composed of anions (negative ions ) and cations (positive ions ). The anions give up an electron at the anode and the cations accept an electron at the cathode.

A zinc-carbon dry cell
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zinc–carbon_battery

 

[tzero]

What are "net negative charge battery atoms"?
Can you really explain what those words strung together actually mean as an ensemble?

Voltaic cells function as a result of what is called half-cell reactions.
A battery is several voltaic cells connected together, so technically that is why you have a 1.5v dry cell for your electronic equipment and a 12 volt battery for your car.
Holes are not a significant charge carrier for a battery.

The chemical reaction with the voltaic cell give one terminal a positive charge and the other a negative charge. Completing a circuit between the terminals allows electrons to flow from one terminal to the other. Within the cell itself there is an an electrolyte, composed of anions (negative ions ) and cations (positive ions ). The anions give up an electron at the anode and the cations accept an electron at the cathode.

A zinc-carbon dry cell
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zinc–carbon_battery

Thank you for your reply :D. I wasn't expecting one so quick. When I say net negative charge battery atoms. I mean the negative terminal of the battery has gained electrons when circuit is closed and the atom becomes an anion. Isn't that how pressure occurs in the negative end of the battery? The force of repulsion because of electrostatic builds up pressure and that pressure is voltage? The other question was if the electron of the battery and copper valence electrons flow to the positive end of the terminal or is it just the copper atom valence electrons that flow to the positive end of the battery? and does the electrons in the battery strike the copper atom valence electrons?

 

[Drakkith]

Thank you for your reply :D. I wasn't expecting one so quick. When I say net negative charge battery atoms. I mean the negative terminal of the battery has gained electrons when circuit is closed and the atom becomes an anion. Isn't that how pressure occurs in the negative end of the battery? The force of repulsion because of electrostatic builds up pressure and that pressure is voltage?

This is incorrect. The negative terminal of the battery is at a negative voltage and electrons move away from it towards the positive terminal. Voltage is generated by chemical reactions between the electrolyte and the electrodes that cause the products of the reaction to gain or lose electrons, generating a voltage.

The other question was if the electron of the battery and copper valence electrons flow to the positive end of the terminal or is it just the copper atom valence electrons that flow to the positive end of the battery? and does the electrons in the battery strike the copper atom valence electrons?

Electrons are given up by the reaction on one electrode (the anode), and are taken in by the reaction on the other electrode (the cathode), so the current consists of electrons from the battery and the copper.

See the following links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galvanic_cell
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrochemical_cell
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battery_(electricity )

 

[sardar]

Hi there,

Current flow is the movement of electric charge, typically in the form of electrons, through a conductive material. In the case of a battery, the flow of current is created by a chemical reaction within the battery that generates a potential difference between the positive and negative terminals. This potential difference causes electrons to flow from the negative terminal to the positive terminal, creating an electric current.

To answer your specific questions, at the negative terminal of a battery, the electrons from the net negative charge atoms do flow through the copper wires to the positive terminal. This is because the electrons are negatively charged and are attracted to the positively charged terminal. At the same time, the valence electrons of the copper atoms also flow towards the positive terminal, creating a flow of current.

In terms of heat production, it is a combination of both the movement of the electrons and the collision of the copper atoms that creates heat. As the electrons move through the copper wires, they collide with the atoms, transferring energy and causing them to vibrate, which results in the production of heat.

As for the transfer of electrons from the positive end of the battery to the negative end, this is facilitated by the electrolyte in the battery. The electrolyte helps to balance out the charge by transferring electrons from the positive terminal to the negative terminal, allowing the flow of current to continue.

Finally, when a copper atom becomes a cation, it does have a net positive charge. However, this does not affect the flow of current as the overall movement of electrons is still from the negative terminal to the positive terminal. The flow of current is determined by the movement of electrons, not the charge of individual atoms.

I hope this helps to clarify how current flow works in a battery. Let me know if you have any other questions.