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From basic alkalines to hard-to-find batteries for hearing aids, watches and much more, RadioShack has always been your source for one-stop battery shopping. Over the years, we've proven we know a thing or two about batteries, now we're taking a minute to share some of our knowledge with you. Here's a short guide to give you a better understanding of how batteries work, how to pick the right type of battery and how to properly care for batteries. Let the learning begin
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How do batteries work?
All batteries operate similarly. A 3-way chemical reaction takes place between the electrolyte, cathode and anode. This reaction produces negative ions at the negative terminal (the base), and positive ions gathered at the positive post (the small post on top). The generation and gathering of the positive and negative elements creates the battery energy.
As energy is used, the effectiveness of the basic battery ingredients diminishes. The cathode and anode materials become depleted, and the reaction between the anode and the electrolyte produces byproducts. As byproducts build up, the battery's voltage diminishes and performance drops. For this reason, the life of the battery increases as the amounts of the anodic, cathodic and electrolytic chemicals increase.
In most primary batteries, the electrochemical reactions produce a gradual decline in voltage, as opposed to the steady decline in voltage produced by lithium manganese and most secondary batteries.
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Next page - How To Choose the Right Battery
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