Potential Difference Between 12V Battery Terminals

[khamaar]

A 12 volt battery is short circuited. what would be the potential difference between its terminals?

 

[timthereaper]

The battery will discharge quickly and the voltage will drop quickly from 12 to 0. After that, the voltage will be zero.

 

[schip666!]

In a little more detail...

You can model the battery as an infinite current source with 12v potential in series with a small resistance (this is the battery's "internal resistance"). The wire or whatever you use to short the battery terminals also has some small resistance -- unless you have invented a room temperature super-conductor. If you know those two resistances you can calculate the voltage divider drop at the battery terminals.

Then you need to realize that the "infinite current source" is actually finite and can only provide a fixed number of electrons...just like a tank of water. So, as timthereaper says, the voltage at the source will start to droop and eventually become zero when there's no more water in the tank.

 

[Studiot]

Is this an automotive question and are you talking about the standard automotive 'short circuit' battery test?

 

[PJC01]

If a 12 volt battery is short circuited, the potential difference between its terminals would be zero. This is because a short circuit creates a direct connection between the positive and negative terminals, allowing the current to flow freely without any resistance. In this scenario, the voltage drops to zero as all of the battery's energy is quickly discharged. Therefore, the potential difference between the battery terminals is eliminated. It is important to note that a short circuit can be dangerous and can potentially damage the battery or cause a fire. It is important to handle batteries carefully and avoid short circuits to ensure their safe and efficient operation.