How Batteries Work - And a Resource for Safely Experimenting With Circuits

From cell phones to laptops to toys we and our students rely on batteries for a lot of what we do in our daily lives. But have you ever stopped to think about how batteries actually work? Or have you asked your students to think about it? TED-Ed offers a good lesson that answers the question, "how do batteries work?"

In How Batteries Work students learn about the origins of batteries, how batteries work, the differences between disposable and rechargeable batteries, and why rechargeable batteries eventually cannot be recharged any more. Students watching the video will also see the difference between dry cell and wet cell batteries.

Applications for Education
To extend the lesson on batteries consider using TinkerCad to have students build simple circuits that are powered by batteries. TinkerCad provides an online environment in which students can do that. On TinkerCad you can create a virtual classroom  in which you can see the circuits and other designs that your students create. In fact, I use it for introducing Arduino to my freshmen before giving them the physical Arduino hardware to use.