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"How Lithium Ion Batteries Work (For Dummies)"

Sophia Xu
Updated: November. 1, 2023 

Ok, to start, Imagine that you have a toy car that runs on batteries. The batteries are like little boxes that have a plus (+) sign and a minus (-) sign on them. The plus sign is where the electricity comes out, and the minus sign is where the electricity goes in. The electricity is like a stream of tiny particles called electrons that can make the toy car move.

P.S these kind of batteries are also used for actual cars! They have a fancy name called lithium-ion batteries. However some hybrid cars use nickel-metal-hydrid batteries. I seriously have no idea why people create so weird names!?! 

Inside the batteries, there are different kinds of materials that react with each other. These materials are called electrodes and electrolyte. The electrodes are like metal plates that connect to the plus and minus signs of the battery. The electrolyte is like a liquid or like a paste that fills the space between the electrodes. The electrolyte has many ions, which are like atoms that have lost or gained electrons.

When you put the batteries in the toy car, you create a path for the electrons to flow from one electrode to the other. This path is called a circuit. The circuit includes the wires and the motor of the toy car. The electrons flow from the minus sign of the battery, through the wire, to the motor, and then back to the plus sign of the battery. This makes the motor spin and the toy car move.

The electrons flow because the materials in the battery react with each other. The reaction makes some atoms lose electrons and some atoms gain electrons. The atoms that lose electrons become positive ions, and the atoms that gain electrons become negative ions. The positive ions move in the electrolyte, and the negative ions stay on the electrodes. This creates a difference in charge between the electrodes, which pushes the electrons to flow.

Different kinds of batteries use different materials and reactions to make electricity. Some batteries last longer than others, and some batteries can be recharged by reversing the reaction. But all batteries have a limit on how much electricity they can make. When the materials run out or the charge becomes equal, the battery stops working. Then you need to replace the battery or recharge it.

Batteries are very useful because they can power many things, like your phone, your laptop, or your flashlight. But batteries can also be harmful if you throw them away or break them open. They can leak chemicals that can hurt you or the environment. So you should always be careful with batteries and recycle them when you can.

I hope this helps you understand how batteries work. 😊 If you want to learn more, you can also watch some videos that explain the mechanism and the structure of a battery.

If you want to learn more about everyday stuff that is very interesting follow this blog!