Introduction to Batteries: The Science Behind The Cell
What is that little object inside a toy or video game controller that makes it turn on? A battery! Why are some of these reusable and some aren’t? What was the first ever working battery and who invented it? And why was I so fascinated (and obsessed) with batteries?
In this blog post, we delve into what a battery is and the different types of batteries, and why learning about the science of a battery was so fascinating for me as a child. π
Who invented the battery?
The first battery was invented and talked about in 1800 by a physicist known as Alessandro Volta. Known as the “voltaic pile”, this primitive device was composed of zinc and silver discs that were stacked on top of each other, separated by fabric immersed inside a fluid of acidic water and salts.
The voltaic pile was a groundbreaking achievement, as it opened up new paths for communications over vast distances, which included the invention of radios in the late 1830s as well as the first corded telephones in the 1870s. Although revolutionary for its time, the voltaic pile had a design flaw: while in use, the device would accumulate hydrogen bubbles over time from chemical reactions occurring on the electrode surfaces. This design flaw made the voltaic pile’s lifetime very brief, thus making the device impractical for most tasks (Tetteh, 2023).
How the voltaic pile worked
The way the voltaic pile produced electricity was unique for its time in the 1800s. When in use, a special type of chemical reaction known as an oxidation-reduction (aka. redox) reaction would occur through the oxidation of zinc metals. The positive terminal (located at the top of the pile) would oxidise, transferring an electric current to the negative terminal (located at the bottom of the pile) through an external wire that formed the circuitry.
The voltaic pile’s use was based on the principles of what is known as “electrochemistry”. Metals inside the positive and negative terminals were designed to lose electrons at a different rate, which is known as electrode potential. Zinc’s greater reactivity when exposed to a negative electric current is why it was chosen as the negative electrode.
The positive electrode is called an anode. The negative electrode is known as a cathode. The acidic water inside the battery (known as an electrolyte), served a critical role in delivering electricity as it contained hydrogen ions that kept the battery from going haywire, balancing the charge and keeping the open circuit closed (Fabrice, n.d.).
What is a battery and how does it work?
If you are reading this blog post on a portable device, chances are it is powered by an electronic component known as a battery. A battery is a component that is used to power electronic devices and allow some devices to be portable. Such as mobile phones and tablets, laptop computers, electronic toys and handheld game consoles.
A battery works by drawing from it’s own energy reserves stored inside a special chemical, which is then converted into electrical energy via direct current. Modern batteries are designed to undergo oxidation when electrons pass through the external circuit in the device (Wikipedia contributors, 2025).
One example of a battery is the single-use (or primary) type of battery. This battery is designed to have a finite life and must be recycled once it runs out. A great example of single-use batteries are the batteries commonly used in electrical torches and electronic devices (such as cameras) that need to be moved about.
Another type of battery is the rechargeable (secondary) type. These types of batteries can be recharged multiple times with a battery charger. This recharging process is made possible due to the current flowing in reverse; the cathode and anode are gradually regenerated over time as the reactions that discharge the battery are reversed from the anode to the cathode.
Such examples of rechargeable batteries include lead-acid batteries that are used in petrol-powered vehicles and batteries composed of lithium, which are primarily used for devices that need to be moved about and require a power source, such as laptop computers and cordless phones (Wikipedia contributors, 2025).
Types of batteries
Alkaline (LR)
An alkaline battery usually has either one or more cells which have both an anode (negative terminal) and a cathode (positive terminal). These batteries use zinc and manganese dioxide as the electrode and the electrolyte is made of potassium hydroxide. For this reason, they are also known as alkaline-manganese (LR) batteries. They are part of the primary battery family explained above (LinkSemicolon Team, 2024).
Zinc-carbon
A zinc-carbon battery is also a type of single-use battery. Similar to it’s alkaline counterpart, the structure is the same but the composition is different: the anode is composed of zinc while the cathode is mixed with manganese dioxide and carbon. These positive and negative terminals are separated by an electrolyte made up of ammonium chloride and hydrogen (LinkSemicolon Team, 2024).
Silver-oxide Batteries
Like zinc-carbon and alkaline batteries, silver-oxide (button) batteries are also single-use, but are designed with a cathode composed of silver oxide, while the anode is composed of zinc. These positive and negative terminals are kept apart by either a solution of potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide, which acts as the electrolyte (LinkSemicolon Team, 2024).
Mercury (Ruben-Mallory) Cells
Batteries made from mercury are a single-use battery that are designed with electrodes that are made from mercuric oxide and zinc, while an alkaline paste is used as an electrolyte. A battery made from mercury is also known as a mercury cell, a button cell and also sometimes called a Ruben-Mallory battery (LinkSemicolon Team, 2024).
Lead-Acid (Rechargeable) Batteries
A lead-acid battery is a secondary battery that is primarily composed of lead and lead-oxide that act as an electrolyte. The positive electrode is composed of lead oxide, while the negative electrode (anode) is made of porous lead. These batteries were originally invented by Gaston PlantΓ© in 1859, being the very first type of batteries that could be recharged. They have a wide range of uses – from the starter motor found in a combustion engine, to backup generators and electrical systems (LinkSemicolon Team, 2024).
Lithium & EV Batteries
Like their lead-acid counterparts, nickel-cadmium batteries are also a type of secondary battery that utilise nickel-oxide and metallic cadmium as electrolytes. These were originally invented in 1899 by Waldemar Jungner and then patented by Thomas Edison in 1902. A nickel-cadmium battery is comprised of one or more cells which each have a cathode made of nickel oxide hydroxide and an anode made of metallic cadmium. Like all secondary batteries, they can be recharged by using a battery charger that allows the current to flow in reverse (LinkSemicolon Team, 2024).
Lithium batteries designed for electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid vehicles are also a type of secondary battery. These special batteries are used as a source of energy for the vehicle’s motor as well as determining the range (distance) the vehicle can travel. The batteries are also made as lightweight as possible while still providing as much electricity as possible.
Unlike petrol or diesel fuel, current battery technologies involving EVs and hybrids are much less efficient at delivering energy when it comes to the weight of a given vehicle. This has its advantages and disadvantages; it can either increase the distance one can travel in a lightweight vehicle or vice versa for a heavy vehicle, such as a truck. (Wikipedia contributors, 2025).
Why I found batteries fascinating
As a child, I was always deeply fascinated by science, chemistry and how batteries worked. Driven by this childhood curiosity, I would often read about technology, including car batteries, button batteries, the manufacturing process of a battery, how they provided and conducted electricity, their recharging process and more.
When I was 29 years old, I became highly obsessed with the replacement of batteries in electronics, which mostly was due to obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). For a few months, I had a very intense focus on battery replacements, which my carer found irritating. The origin of this obsession came from watching phones and other electronics that relied on batteries being repaired on YouTube. I often enjoyed videos of batteries swelling up until they exploded.
I enjoyed watching the battery expand (this is due to the electrolyte fluid inside the battery changing into a gas, because the chemicals in the electrolyte fluid break down). This process would gradually cause the battery to swell and burst, causing a loud explosion with sparks, fire, smoke and particles. I found this fascinating to watch. The explosion was also very predictable in it’s behaviour and outcome, which I like as well.
Princess Lilli Lilac
While Lilli may not have much in common with batteries, she is a beautiful therapy cat who helps to keep me calm. While she often sleeps on our beds, she also has been known to sleep inside our teepee tents as shown here. You could say she has to recharge her kitty “batteries” a lot by sleeping! πΊ We have been inseparable since the day we first met and our friendship shall never expire. π
Conclusion
I hope this educational blog post has helped you learn what a battery is, my fascination with them, the functionality of a battery, the different types that are available, as well as the voltaic pile, which was the very first battery invented by Alessandro Volta. Feel free to drop a reply in the comments below and I shall see you on the next blog post! π¬
References
Wikipedia contributors. (2025, September 15). Electric battery. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 01:11, October 6, 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Electric_battery&oldid=1311434109
Tetteh, B. E. (2023, October 25). Who invented batteries? Technology Networks. https://www.technologynetworks.com/applied-sciences/lists/who-invented-batteries-377076
LinkSemicolon Team. (2024, December 1). 7 types of batteries + advantages and disadvantages. LinkSemicolon. https://www.linksemicon.com/blog/types-of-batteries/
Fabrice, P. (n.d.). Electrochemical reaction in the voltaic pile. Innovation.world. https://innovation.world/invention/electrochemical-reaction-voltaic-pile/
Wikipedia contributors. (2025, September 28). Electric vehicle battery. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 13:30, October 19, 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Electric_vehicle_battery&oldid=1313865805