How a Battery Works
Chemistry 1 of 3
WHEN you switch on, say, your trusty
flashlight, electric current in the
form of electrons powers the bulb. That happens because the anode
material, zinc (ZN) gives up two electrons (e-) per atom in a process
called oxidation. This process leaves unstable zinc
ions (ZN2+) behind. (An ion is an atom that has gained
or lost electrons so has a positive or negative charge.)
Now, click on the mock cell to the left to see what happens next.
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