Experiment one: battery

Objective of the experiment:

1- Learn the principle of It is
operation
2- Learn the parts of battery
3- Learn how to check the battery
An electric battery is a device consisting of one or
more electrochemical cells with external connections provided to
power electrical devices such as flashlights, smartphones,
and electric cars. When a battery is supplying electric power, its
positive terminal is the cathode and its negative terminal is
the anode. The terminal marked negative is the source of
electrons that will flow through an external electric
circuit to the positive terminal. When a battery is
connected to an external electric load, a  redox reaction
converts high-energy reactants to lower-energy products,
and the free-energy difference is delivered to the external
circuit as electrical energy. Historically the term
"battery" specifically referred to a device composed of
multiple cells, however the usage has evolved to include
devices composed of a single cell.
Batteries come in many shapes and sizes, from miniature
cells used to power hearing aids and wristwatches to small,
thin cells used in smartphones, to large lead acid batteries used in
cars and trucks, and at the largest extreme, huge battery
banks the size of rooms that provide standby or
emergency power for telephone exchanges and computer data
centers.
Components:

Batteries are made up of three basic components:

an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte. A separator is
often used to prevent the anode and cathode from
touching, if the electrolyte is not sufficient. In order to
store these components, batteries usually have some kind
of casing.
Both the anode and cathode are types of  electrodes.
Electrodes are conductors through which electricity
enters or leaves a component in a circuit.

Anode
Electrons flow out from the anode in a device connected
to a circuit. This means that conventional “ current”
flows into an anode.
In a battery, the chemical reaction between the anode and
electrolyte causes a buildup of electrons in the anode.
These electrons want to move to the cathode, but cannot
pass through the electrolyte or separator.

Cathode
Electrons flow into the cathode in a device connected to a
circuit. This means that conventional “current” flows  out
from a cathode.
In batteries, the chemical reaction in or around the
cathode uses the electrons produced in the anode. The
only way for the electrons to get to the cathode is
through a circuit, external to the battery.

Electrolyte
The electrolyte is the substance, often a liquid or gel that
is capable of transporting ions between the chemical
reactions that happen at the anode and cathode. The
electrolyte also inhibits the flow of electrons between the
anode and cathode so that the electrons more easily flow
through the external circuit rather than through the
electrolyte.
The electrolyte is crucial in the operation of a battery.
Because electrons cannot pass through it, they are forced
to travel through electrical conductors in the form of a
circuit that connect the anode to the cathode

Casing
Most batteries need a way to contain their chemical
components. Casings, otherwise known as “housings” or
“shells,” are simply mechanical structures meant to hold
the battery’s internals.

This lead-acid battery has a plastic casing

Battery casings can be made of almost anything: plastic,
steel, soft polymer laminate pouches, and so on. Some
batteries use a conducting steel casing that is electrically
connected to one of the electrodes. In the case of the
common AA alkaline cell, the steel casing is connected
to the cathode

How do batteries work?

Batteries have three parts, an anode (-), a cathode (+),
and the electrolyte. The cathode and anode (the positive
and negative sides at either end of a traditional battery)
are hooked up to an electrical circuit. The chemical
reactions in the battery cause a buildup of electrons at the
anode.

There are three main components of a battery: two

terminals made of different chemicals (typically metals),
the anode and the cathode; and the electrolyte, which
separates these terminals. The electrolyte is a chemical
medium that allows the flow of electrical charge between
the cathode and anode. When a device is connected to a
battery — a light bulb or an electric circuit — chemical
reactions occur on the electrodes that create a flow of
electrical energy to the device.  
More specifically: during a discharge of electricity, the
chemical on the anode releases electrons to the negative
terminal and ions in the electrolyte through what’s called
an oxidation reaction. Meanwhile, at the positive
terminal, the cathode accepts electrons, completing the
circuit for the flow of electrons. The electrolyte is there
to put the different chemicals of the anode and cathode
into contact with one another, in a way that the chemical
potential can equilibrate from one terminal to the other,
converting stored chemical energy into useful electrical
energy. “These two reactions happen simultaneously,”
Allanore says. “The ions transport current through the
electrolyte while the electrons flow in the external
circuit, and that’s what generates an electric current.”
The purpose of the battery
The battery supplies electricity when the:
Engine is off:

Electricity from the battery is used to operate lighting,

accessories, or other electrical systems when the engine
is not running.

Engine is starting:

Electricity from the battery is used to operate the starter

motor and to provide current for the ignition system
during engine cranking. Starting the car is the battery’s
most important function.

Engine is running:

Electricity from the battery may be needed to supplement

the charging system when the vehicle’s electrical load
requirements exceed the charging system’s ability to
produce electricity. Both the battery and the alternator
supply electricity when demand is high.
Battery Check:

1-Check the solution by the hydro-meter:

By placing the hydrometer device in the entrance to the

battery to be filled with the solution and then the solution
is judged according to the device's level
If the gradient in the green zone indicates that the density
is good, either if the solution is in the white zone, it
indicates that the solution needs a liar
However, if the staging reaches the black area, this
indicates the powerlessness of the battery.
2 - Testing the capacity of battery (voltage difference):
Via the voltmeter

• If the result of the test between (10.8-12.6) v, the

battery is good and able to operate the vehicle.
• If the result of the test is less than 9.6 (v) the battery is
not good and is unable to operate the vehicle

State of charge

The state of charge of a battery can be easily check in

one of two ways:

· Specific gravity test

·Open circuit voltage test

Specific gravity readings

By measuring the specific gravity of the electrolyte, you

can tell if the battery is fully charged, requires charging,
or must be replaced. It can tell you if the battery is
sufficiently charged for a capacity (heavy-load) test. The
battery must be at least 75% charged to perform a heavy
load test. In other words, each cell must have a specific
gravity of 1.230 or higher to proceed.

Cell readings percent charged

1.27 = 100 %

1.23 = 75%

1.19 = 50%

1.145 = 25%

1.1 = 0%

Open circuit voltage

A digital voltmeter must be used to check the battery’s

open-circuit voltage. Analog meters are not accurate and
cannot be used.

1. Turn on the headlamps’ high beam for several minutes

to remove any surface charge.
2. Turn headlamps off, and connect the digital voltmeter
across the battery terminals.

3. Read the voltmeter. A fully charged battery will have

an open-circuit voltage of 12.6 volts.

On the other hand, a totally dead battery will have an

open-circuit voltage of less than 12.0 volts.