Chronology | Current Month | Current Thread | Current Date |
[Year List] [Month List (current year)] | [Date Index] [Thread Index] | [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] | [Date Prev] [Date Next] |
Part One: Take a 6 volt dry cell battery. My colleague opines that
one cannot speak rightly of a voltage existing between the two sides
of the battery until the terminals are connected, thus completing the
circuit. Her reasoning is that the chemical reaction is the source of
the voltage and does not occur unless the terminals are connected in
a circuit (except perhaps in very small amounts as batteries run down
when left to stand).
Is this a correct analysis
difference between the two sides of a battery, and if so is it 6
volts in this case?
Part Two: My colleague connected the positive side of a 6 volt dry
cell battery to a 1.5 volt light bulb, then connected the other side
of the light bulb to the ground. The bulb does not light. Is there a
voltage difference between the positive side of the battery and the
ground and if so is it 6 volts? Why doesn't the bulb light?
Her latest theory is that as soon as one touches the positive side of
the battery, any excess charges are immediately drained off and that
side of the battery becomes equalized with the ground. The chemical
reaction is not occurring, so there is no way for a voltage
difference between the positive terminal and the ground to be
maintained, thus the bulb does not light.