When a battery will no longer produce current

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    Battery Current
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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the conditions under which a battery ceases to produce current, exploring concepts of electric potential, charge distribution, and the underlying chemical processes involved in battery operation. Participants examine the implications of terminal charge equality and the nature of current flow in batteries.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose that when a battery stops producing current, it indicates that the negative and positive terminals have reached equal charge, suggesting equilibrium.
  • Others argue that equal electric potential at the terminals correlates with the absence of current flow.
  • A later reply questions the assumption that a battery is completely depleted, suggesting that there may still be charge available if connected to a new circuit.
  • One participant clarifies that a battery does not store net charge like a tank but instead functions by moving electrons through a circuit.
  • Another participant explains that the cessation of current is due to the completion of a chemical reaction within the battery, which limits further energy extraction.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the relationship between terminal charge and current flow, with no consensus reached on whether equilibrium at the terminals is the sole reason for the cessation of current. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the implications of charge availability in a "spent" battery.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include assumptions about charge distribution and the definitions of "dead" or "spent" batteries, as well as the implications of grounding connections on current flow.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to those studying electrochemistry, electrical engineering, or anyone curious about battery technology and its operational principles.

John Galt
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When a battery will no longer produce current does this mean the negative and positive terminals have equal charge? Current flows from the negative to the positive based on there being a higher and a lower electric potential between the poles, so when the current stops flowing is it because these two poles have reached equilibrium?
 
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I think the electric potential of the poles are equal as there are no current produced
 
Well, if that's true, there is still charge left in a battery when it won't work anymore because it has nowhere to go. What if both poles of a spent battery were wired to a new grounded reservoir? Would current flow?
 
A battery isn't like a tank full of electrons. It has no net charge and only works by pushing electrons around a loop.
 
A chemical reaction is allowed to occur by connecting the leads of a battery. Inside, a Reduction-Oxidation ("RedOx") reaction occurs in which electrons are transferred from one substance to anther (through your circuit). When the battery is "dead", the reaction is complete and no further work can be extracted out of the system.
 

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