Electric cells and batteries
I can describe how an electric cell works and how electric cells are combined to produce batteries of different voltages.
Electric cells and batteries
I can describe how an electric cell works and how electric cells are combined to produce batteries of different voltages.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Electric cells contain a store of chemicals that react to produce a voltage across two electrical contacts.
- An electric cell made of two different metals in contact with an electrolyte, produces a voltage across the metals.
- The size of voltage across an electric cell depends on the materials it is made from.
- A battery is made of one or more electric cells, which can be connected in series to produce a larger voltage.
- The chemical reaction in a rechargeable battery is reversed when an external voltage is connected across it.
Keywords
Electric cell - A device that contains a store of chemicals that react to produce a voltage across two electrical contacts.
Voltage - This is a measure of the difference in energy between two parts of a circuit. It is measured in volts.
Electrolyte - A liquid or aqueous salt solution that contains freely moving ions.
Electric battery - An electric cell, or several cells joined together in series, that can push current around a complete circuit to transfer energy to each component.
Common misconception
Understanding which way the electrons flow in the electric cell and explaining why the voltage is sometimes recorded as negative.
The more reactive metal is always oxidised, i.e. looses electrons which flow towards the less reactive metal. Demonstrate that a negative voltage is seen when the electrical leads connected to the voltmeter are swapped around.
To help you plan your year 11 chemistry lesson on: Electric cells and batteries, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 11 chemistry lesson on: Electric cells and batteries, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 chemistry lessons from the Electrolysis unit, dive into the full secondary chemistry curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Licence
Lesson video
Loading...
