• A battery is an electrical energy storage device which converts chemical energy into electrical energy through a chemical reaction.
• The word “battery” comes from the Latin “battuere” meaning “to strike” (as in “assault and battery”). The word came to mean a number of pieces of artillery used in conjunction, or a “battalion” of soldiers. Then it evolved to define any series of similar objects grouped together to perform a function. In 1749 Benjamin Franklin was experimenting with electricity (including his famous kite-key-lightning experiment). He lined up a series of Leyden Jars, which were primitive but effective capacitors. The electricity they generated when linked together was much greater than they generated separately. Benjamin Franklin was the first to use the word “battery” in terms of the ability to store and discharge electricity.
• The very first battery was invented in 1798 by Italian physicist Alessandro Volta. Known as Voltaic piles, these batteries were made of alternating copper and zinc discs, separated by pieces of cardboard or cloth soaked in vinegar or salt water. Volta’s batteries were about as big as a toaster and generated a weak current. Still, they proved that electricity could be generated chemically, paving the way for the batteries of today. Today he’s remembered in the words “volts” and “voltage.”
• In 1802 in Britain, William Cruickshank invented the first electric battery capable of being mass produced, making batteries accessible to the general public for the first time.
• Conrad Hubert invented the first handheld flashlight in 1898, popularized the first D-cell battery to power it, and founded Eveready Battery.
• During World War I, the government worked to standardize batteries, including their size and their names. Batteries were named from the alphabet: A, B, C, and D, with “A” batteries being the smallest and “D” the largest. As technology evolved, smaller more efficient batteries became common and were called AA and AAA. Meanwhile, “A” and “B” batteries fell out of use.
• The first miniature “button” batteries were developed in the 1950s by Eveready.
• Current is measured in amperes and voltage is measured in volts. Think of volts as being a pipe, and current as the amount of material passing through the pipe.
• Every battery, no matter what type, or how big or small, is made from only 4 main components: positive electrode, negative electrode, electrolyte and a separator.
• The most common batteries in use today are lead-acid batteries (in cars), NiCd batteries (nickel-cadmium), lithium-ion batteries, alkaline batteries, and NiMH (nickel metal hydride) batteries.
• When using rechargeable batteries, it’s best to store them fully charged. They will deteriorate much more quickly if they are left unused with no charge for long periods of time. When using them, don’t recharge them until they are completely dead.
• The best way to extend life of batteries is to store them in a cool place, which slows down their internal chemical reaction. Extreme temperatures on either end of the scale will kill a battery’s charge. Room temperatures are best, or the cool temperatures inside a refrigerator. Batteries kept in such conditions can retain their charge for years, even decades.
• Every year, Americans use around 3 billion batteries of all sizes.
