What happens when current from the positive terminal of a battery reaches the negative terminal? Do the charges stop flowing when it reaches the negative terminal?
In: Physics
Flow of electricity is very similar to flow of water. One end is where the electrons (water) is stored, the other end is where the electrons (water) want to be. Voltage is water pressure, current is volume of flow.
When positive and negative is connected by wires (pipes) then electrons (water) flows as fast as possible, due to the voltage (pressure). The amount that flows through a cross section of wire (pipe) is determined by resistance (pipe diameter/circumference). When you balance the electrons (water) that wants to go from one end to the other, there’s no more voltage (pressure) difference and therefore no current (flow) — pipes are full.
Another thing to note… static discharge from rubbing socks on carpet and touching a doorknob can reach up to 40 thousand volts. Voltage is typically not what kills someone, its the current. With this example — voltage is like getting hit lightly or by Mike Tyson. Current can be low flow from a shower head or super high like a water jet. People use waterjets to cut through steel, diamonds, and other super hard materials.
A battery has two substances in it. It has an anode, which wants to give up its electrons, and it has a cathode, which wants electrons.
When the two substances are connected, electrons make their way from the anode to the cathode. We can use the energy of the flowing electrons to do work – and that’s how we get electricity from a battery.
Eventually the anode runs out of electrons to give. When that happens, the battery can’t give you any more power. If it’s a rechargeable battery, you can apply external current to reverse the flow. If it’s not, you just throw the battery out.
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