Redox Reaction at the

Electrodes
of Dry Cells
Common Dry Cell (acidic)

• Made up of a zinc,Zn container as the anode

(negative terminal) and a carbon, C (graphite)
rod as the cathode (positive terminal). The
electrolyte used is a paste containing
ammonium chloride NH4Cl, zinc chloride
ZnCl2 and water,H2O.
Alkaline Dry Cell

• Modified example of common dry cell that

uses potassium hydroxide, KOH rather than
ammonium chloride NH4Cl in the paste,
producing somewhat different reaction at
the electrodes.
• The alkaline dry cell lasts much longer as the zinc anode
corrodes less rapidly under basic conditions than under
acidic conditions. It maintains a steady voltage of about 1.5
V under high current loads and generates about more than
half the common dry cell of the same size.

• Other types of alkaline dry cell batteries are the silver

battery in which silver metal serves as an inert cathode to
support the reduction of silver oxide (Ag2O) and the
oxidation of zinc (anode) in a basic medium. The type of
battery commonly used for calculators is the mercury cell.
In this type of battery, HgO serves as the oxidizing agent
(cathode) in a basic medium, while zinc metal serves as the
anode.