1.

1 ENERGY RESOURCES
INTRODUCTION:
Battery is a device that stores chemical energy and releases it as electrical
energy. Hence a device which converts chemical energy into electrical energy is
called battery, cell, or storage battery.
A battery is an electrochemical cell which is often connected in series in
electrical devices as a source of direct electric current at a constant voltage.
A cell contains one anode and one cathode. The EMF of a single cell is
around 2 volts. A battery contains several anode and cathode. The EMF of a
battery which contains six anodes and six cathodes is around 12 v.
Definition:
Battery is a device that stores chemical energy and releases it as electrical
energy. Hence a device which converts chemical energy into electrical energy is
called battery or cell.
Batteries are classified as follows,
i) Primary battery

ii) Secondary battery

iii) Fuel battery or Flow battery

Primary battery
Primary battery is a cell in which the cell reaction is not reversible. Thus, once the
chemical reaction takes place to release the electrical energy, the cell gets exhausted.
They are use and throw type.
Example: Dry cell, Leclanche cell etc.
Secondary battery
Secondary battery is a cell in which the cell reaction is reversible. They are
rechargeable cells. Once the battery gets exhausted, it can be recharged.
Example: Nickel-Cadmium cell, Lead-acid cell (storage cell), etc.
Dry Cell
A cell without fluid component is called as dry cell.
Example: Daniel cell, alkaline battery.
Construction and working of Dry cell:
The anode of the cell is zinc container containing an electrolyte consisting of
NH4Cl, ZnCl2 and MnO2 to which starch is added to make it thick paste-like so that
is less likely to leak. A graphite rod, serves as the cathode, is immersed in the
electrolyte in the centre of the cell.
The electrode reactions are given below.
Anodic reaction
Zn (s)———> Zn2+ (aq) + 2e─ (Oxidation)
Cathodic reaction
2MnO2 (s) + H2O + 2e─ Mn2O3 (s) + 2OH– (aq) (Reduction)
NH4+ (aq) + OH─ NH3 (g) + H2O (l)
2MnO2 (s) + 2NH2+ (aq) + Zn 2+ (aq) + 2e─ [Zn(NH3)2]Cl2 (s)
Overall reaction
Zn(s) + 2NH4+(aq) +2Cl─ (aq) +2MnO2(s)Mn2O3(s) + [Zn(NH3)2]Cl2(s) + 2H2O
The dry cell is a primary battery, since no reaction is reversible by supplying
electricity. Dry cell is very cheap to make. It gives voltage of about 1.5V.

But, it has few demerits: a. When current is drawn rapidly, drop in voltage occurs
b. Since the electrolyte is acidic, Zn dissolves slowly even if it is not in use.
Uses
Dry cells are used in flash-lights, transistor radios, calculators, clocks etc.
Secondary battery
Secondary battery is a cell in which the cell reaction is reversible. They are
rechargeable cells. Once the battery gets exhausted, it can be recharged.
Example: Nickel-Cadmium cell, Lead-acid cell (storage cell), etc
Lead – acid storage cell
The typical example for storage cell is Lead-acid storage cell. A secondary
battery can operate as a voltaic cell and as an electrolytic cell. When it acts as a
voltaic cell, it supplies electrical energy and becomes run down. When it is
recharged, the cell operates as an electrochemical cell.
Construction and Working:
A lead – acid storage cell consists of a number of voltaic cells (3 to 6)
connected in series to get 6 to 12 V battery. In each cell, a number of Pb plates, used
as anodes are connected in parallel and a number of PbO2 plates, used as cathodes
are connected in parallel. The plates are separated by insulators like rubber or glass
fibre. The entire combination is immersed in 20% dil.H2SO4.
The cell is represented as
Pb | PbSO4 || H2SO4 || PbSO4 | PbO2 | Pb
When the lead-acid storage battery operates, the following cell reactions occur.
Anodic reaction:
Oxidation reaction takes place at anode. The electrons are released from anode.
Hence the anode is called as negative anode and is represented as
(-).
Lead is oxidized to Pb2+ ions and gives two electron, which further combines
with SO42- to form insoluble PbSO4.

Pb (s) + SO42- PbSO4 (s) + 2e─

Overall cell reaction during discharging:

From the above cell reactions, it is clear that PbSO4is precipitated at both the
electrodes and the concentration of H2SO4 decreases. So, the battery needs
recharging.
Overall cell reaction during recharging:
The cell can be recharged by passing electric current in the opposite direction. The
electrode reaction gets reversed. As a result, Pb is deposited on anode and PbO2 on
the cathode. The concentration of also increases.
2PbSO4 (s) + 2H2O + Energy Pb (s) + PbO2 (s) + 2H2SO4 (aq)
Advantages of Lead – acid batteries:
1. It is made easily.
2. It produces very high current.
3. The self discharging rate is low.
4. It works effectively even at low temperatures.

Uses:
1. Lead – acid batteries are used in cars, buses, trucks etc.
2. It is used in gas engine ignition, telephone exchanges, power stations hospitals.
3. IT industry, educational institutions, laboratories etc.
Non-conventional Energy Sources
Energy received from the sun is the best example for non-conventional energy
resources. Example: Solar cell
Solar cell
A device which converts the solar energy (energy obtained from the sun)
directly into electrical energy is called ‘Solar cell’. This is also called as ‘Photovoltaic
cell’.
Principle:
The basic principle involved in the solar cells is based on the photovoltaic
(PV) effect. When sun rays fall on the two layers of semiconductor devices, potential
difference between the two layers is produced. This potential difference causes flow
of electrons and thus produces electricity.
Example: Silicon solar cell
Construction:

Solar cell consists of a p-type (such as Si doped with boron) and a n-type (such as Si
doped with phosphorous) semiconductor plates. They are in close contact with each
other.

Working:
When the solar rays fall on the top layer of p-type semiconductor, the
electrons from the valence band get promoted to the conduction band and cross the
p-n junction into n-type semiconductor. Thereby potential difference between two
layers is created, which causes flow of electrons (i.e. electric current). The potential
difference and hence current increases as more solar rays falls on the surface of the
top layer.
Thus, when this p- and n- layers are connected to an external circuit, electrons
flow from n-layer to p-layer and hence current is generated.
Applications of solar cells:
1. Solar cells are used in street lights.
2. Water pumps are operated by using solar batteries.
3. They are used in calculators, watches, radios and TVs.
4. They are used for eco-friendly driving vehicles.
5. Silicon Solar cells are used as power source in space crafts and satellites.
6. Solar cells can even be used in remote places and in forests to get electrical
energy without affecting the atmosphere.
Summary
In this lesson, various types of batteries, construction, working with cell
reactions of storage batteries like, dry cell, lead - acid cell, solar cell and their uses
are discussed.