Electrons @ battery negative terminal

[wphays]

Does the negative terminal of a battery have a negative charge due to having a surplus of electrons? If so, then why do the surplus electrons from the negative terminal of the battery not discharge to the human body or Earth (which have a neutral charge) when touched?...thereby causing the battery to lose charge.Thanks in advance for answers. I'm obviously new to physics.

 

[Nugatory]

then why do the surplus electrons from the negative terminal of the battery not discharge to the human body or Earth (which have a neutral charge) when touched?

They do. But only a very small amount of charge moves into the body before it reaches the same potential as the battery terminal and then the flow stops. It's like trying to pour water into a stopped-up drainpipe - only so much will go down the drain before the flow stops.

If we create a circuit by touching a conductor to both terminals of the battery, we will get a current flow that will discharge the battery fairly quickly.

If you are not familiar with the concepts of potential and capacitance, you'll want to learn about them. They are far more useful for understanding current flows than thinking in terms of electrons moving around.

 

[wphays]

They do. But only a very small amount of charge moves into the body before it reaches the same potential as the battery terminal and then the flow stops. It's like trying to pour water into a stopped-up drainpipe - only so much will go down the drain before the flow stops.

If we create a circuit by touching a conductor to both terminals of the battery, we will get a current flow that will discharge the battery fairly quickly.

If you are not familiar with the concepts of potential and capacitance, you'll want to learn about them. They are far more useful for understanding current flows than thinking in terms of electrons moving around.

Thank you