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Introduction to Batteries
A.
Bhatia
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 Attained
This course teaches the
following specific knowledge and skills:
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Identify the parts and state
the purpose of a cell
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Explain the chemical process
that takes place in the primary and secondary cells
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Recognize and define the
terms electrochemical action, anode, cathode, and electrolyte
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State the causes of
polarization and local action and describe methods of preventing these effects
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Identify the various cells
in use today and some of their capabilities and limitations
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Define a battery, and
identify the three ways of combining cells to form a battery
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Describe general maintenance
procedures for batteries including the use of the hydrometer, battery
capacity, and rating and battery charging
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Observe the safety
precautions for working with and around batteries.
Course
Click on the following PDF attachment and review the document
prior to taking
a quiz for credit.
Batteries (374 KB)
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To obtain PDH credits for this course, you will need to take a quiz for
credit. Click on the link below.
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