When a battery will no longer produce current

[John Galt]

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?

 

[data1217]

I think the electric potential of the poles are equal as there are no current produced

 

[John Galt]

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?

 

[russ_watters]

A battery isn't like a tank full of electrons. It has no net charge and only works by pushing electrons around a loop.

 

[mrjeffy321]

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.