Science · 6 pages · 12 min
How a battery pushes a current
Two electrode reactions push electrons through the wire and ions through the cell.
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From the opening
A battery pushes a current because the reactions at its two electrodes differ in how eagerly they give up or take electrons. Electrons leave the electrode that releases them, travel the outside wire, and are consumed at the other electrode. The opening covers two reactions with different appetites, electrons outside, ions inside, and why an open switch stops everything.
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Inside
- Two reactions with different appetites
- Electrons outside, ions inside
- Why an open switch stops everything
- Voltage versus how long it lasts
- Where the idea stops applying
- A distinction worth keeping
Sources
- Electrochemical cells and electrode reactions
- Volta's pile as the first practical battery