Overview
Electricity cannot always be generated where and when it is needed, so batteries are used in instances where direct current is needed and/or there is no access to a power outlet, or a cord becomes cumbersome. A battery is a device where chemical energy is converted to electrical energy.
Many different types of batteries are available for a wide variety of applications, from storing solar power for satellites in space to powering heart pacemakers fitted inside peoples' chests. All batteries contain one or more cells, but the terms "battery" and "cell" are often used interchangeably. A cell is the working chemical unit inside a battery. Each cell has a positive terminal and a negative terminal. These do not touch each other but are immersed in a solid or liquid electrolyte. When a battery is connected to an electric circuit, a chemical reaction takes place in the electrolyte causing ions (electrically charged atoms) to flow through it. This movement of electric charge makes an electric current flow through the cell and through the circuit it is connected to.
Cells can be divided into primary cells and secondary cells. Primary cells include dry cells, better known as flashlight batteries and the secondary cells, better known as rechargeable batteries include the lead-acid batteries used in automobiles and the nickel-cadmium batteries used in cellular phones. Unlike primary cells, secondary cells can be recharged simply by passing a current through them in the reverse direction to which they normally allow a current to flow. This course will discuss the characteristics and application of different types of batteries in detail.
This 3-hr course material is based entirely on Naval Education and Training Materials (NAVEDTRA 14173), Electricity and Electronic Training Series; Module 1, Chapter 2 titled "Batteries".
The student must take a multiple-choice quiz consisting of twenty (20) questions at the end of this course to obtain PDH credits.
Specific Knowledge or Skill Obtained
This course teaches the following specific knowledge and skills:
- Identify the parts and state the purpose of a cell
- Explain the chemical process that takes place in the primary and secondary cells
- Recognize and define the terms electrochemical action, anode, cathode, and electrolyte
- State the causes of polarization and local action and describe methods of preventing these effects
- Identify the various cells in use today and some of their capabilities and limitations
- Define a battery, and identify the three ways of combining cells to form a battery
- Describe general maintenance procedures for batteries including the use of the hydrometer, battery capacity, and rating and battery charging
- Observe the safety precautions for working with and around batteries.
Course
Click on the following link to the PDF document to review the course material before taking the quiz for credit.
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