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pattiecake
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What does it mean when it's said that the positive terminal of a battery is at a higher potential than the negative end? How does electric potential (voltage) relate to electric current/electric fields?
That's exactly what it means. The cell is separate into 2 sides. For the perchloric acid and iron cell I mentioned, the perchloric acid is only on the positive side, and the iron is only on the negative side.What do you mean when you say “2 chemical half reactions”? Do you mean that there is a chemical reaction in each terminal?
It's based on how spontaneous the reaction is. Look at that table again, Fe 2+ is listed twice.How do the electrons know which is the positive and negative terminals?
The reactions can be reversed if you supply a voltage that is higher than the voltage the cell outputs. If a cell supplies 1 volt, you can reverse the reaction by supplying more than 1 volt to the cell.Also, how can the reactions be reversible? I thought that was only the case for rechargeable batteries?
When we say that the positive terminal of a battery is at a higher potential, it means that it has a greater amount of stored energy compared to the negative terminal. This potential difference, also known as voltage, is what allows the battery to produce an electric current.
The positive terminal of a battery is usually marked with a plus sign to indicate its higher potential. This makes it easier to identify and differentiate from the negative terminal, which is marked with a minus sign. It is a standardized convention used in electrical engineering.
No, not all batteries have a positive terminal at a higher potential. In certain types of batteries, such as rechargeable batteries, the positive and negative terminals can switch roles depending on whether the battery is being charged or discharged. However, in most batteries, the positive terminal is indeed at a higher potential.
If the positive and negative terminals of a battery are connected, a circuit is formed and electrons start flowing from the negative terminal to the positive terminal. This flow of electrons is what we call an electric current. The amount of current that flows is determined by the potential difference between the two terminals, which is why the positive terminal being at a higher potential is important.
No, the positive terminal of a battery cannot be at a higher potential than its rated voltage. The voltage of a battery is determined by its chemical composition and cannot be exceeded without damaging the battery. However, the potential difference between the positive and negative terminals can increase if multiple batteries are connected in series, with the positive terminal of one battery connected to the negative terminal of the next.