Cells and Batteries

how is a cell made?

by connecting two different electrodes ( cathode and anode) with a wire and placing them in contact with an electrolyte, there will also be a voltmeter so that you can measure the voltage of the cell

what is an electrolyte?

a liquid through which ions can flow

what are batteries?

two or more cells connected in series to provide a greater voltage

what three factors affect the voltage of a cell?

1. the metals used for the electrodes - greater difference in reactivity, the greater the voltage will be

2. type and concentration of electrolyte used

3. conditions such as temperature and pH

what makes a good electrolyte

it should be able to conduct electricity and carry ions, so it must be liquid and ideally be an ionic compound to conduct electricity

how does temperature of the electrolyte affect the rate of reaction?

higher temperature increases the rate of collision so in turn increases the rate of reaction

how does the concentration of the electrolyte affect the reaction?

higher concentration increases the likelihood ( rate of collision) as there are more particles per unit of volume so the particles are closer together so there are a greater number of collisions

what’s the difference between electrolysis and chemical cells?

electrolysis uses electricity to cause a chemical reaction whereas chemical cells use chemical reactions to produce electricity

what are rechargeable cells?

Rechargeable cells are cells and batteries that can be recharged because the chemical reactions are reversed when an external electrical current is supplied

what are some uses of rechargeable cells?

mobile phones and laptops

what are some uses of non rechargeable cells?

alkaline batteries, remote controls, kids toys, smoke alarms

what are non rechargeable cells?

in non rechargeable cells and batteries the chemical reactions stop when one of the reactants has been used up so a voltage is no longer produced, so there is no longer any flow of electrons so the cell stops producing electricity