Battery Glossary
 
    Cell
  • The basic electrochemical unit used to generate or store electrical energy. Two or more cells interconnected in an appropriate series/parallel arrangement is a battery. Under common usage, "battery" is often applied to single cells.
    Ampere Hour
  • The quantity of electricity measured in ampere-hours (Ah) that can be delivered by a cell/battery under specified conditions.
    Anode
  • The electrode in a cell/battery where oxidation takes place. During discharge, the negative electrode of the cell/battery is the anode. During charge, the positive electrode is the anode.
    Battery
  • Two or more cells interconnected in an appropriate series/parallel arrangement to provide required operating voltage and current levels. Under common usage, "battery" is often applied to single cells.
    Capacity
  • The total number of ampere-hours that can be withdrawn from a fully charged cell/battery under specified discharge conditions.
    Cathode The electrode in a cell/battery where reduction takes place. During discharge, the positive electrode of the cell/battery is the cathode. During charge in a rechargeable battery, the negative electrode is the cathode.
    C Rate
  • Discharge or charge current, in amperes, expressed in multiples of the rated capacity. For example, C/10 discharge current for a cell rated at 1.5 Ah is: 1.5 Ah/10, or 150 mA.
    Cycle Life
  • The number of cycles under specified conditions that are available from a rechargeable battery before it fails to meet specified performance criteria.
    Electrode
  • The area where the electrochemical processes take place.
    Electrolyte
  • The medium that provides the ION transport mechanism between the positive and negative electrodes of a cell/battery.
    Energy
  • The output capability of a cell/battery, usually expressed in watt-hours. Mainly used for rechargeable batteries.
    Energy Density
  • The ratio of the energy available from a cell/battery to its volume (Wh/L) or weight (Wh/kg). Mainly used for rechargeable batteries.
    Humidity
  • The amount of water vapor in the air, expressed as a percentage of the maximum amount that the air could hold at the given temperature; the ratio of the actual water vapor pressure to the saturation vapor pressure.
    Memory/Memory Effect
  • A phenomenon in which a cell/battery operated in successive cycles to the same, but less than full, depth of discharge temporarily loses the rest of its capacity.
    Parallel
  • The interconnection of cells/batteries where all the like terminals are connected together. This results in increased capacity.
    PCM
  • Protection Circuit Module
    Primary Battery
  • A non-rechargeable battery.
    PTC
  • The PTC device protects the cell/battery from external short circuits while allowing the cell/battery to continue functioning after a short circuit is removed.
    Secondary Battery
  • A rechargeable battery.
    Self-Discharge
  • The loss of capacity of a cell/battery during storage due to internal chemical action.
    Shelf-Life
  • The time an inactive cell/battery can be stored before it becomes unusable, usually considered as having only 80% of its initial capacity.
    Series
  • The interconnection of cells/batteries where the positive terminal of the first is connected to the negative terminal of the second, and so on. This results in increased voltage.
    Voltage
  • The unit of measurement of electric potential. Voltage is the difference in electrical energy between two points.