Abstract Our experiment was designed to tell whether or not temperature affects a battery's life. From what we've gathered so far, we've learned that when batteries are in warmer climates, the cells within will become more active and last longer. To test this, our procedure is basically placing batteries in temperature-controlled water in a container. The batteries will be left in the container for a set amount of time, then be pulled out and placed into a flashlight to test the lifespan. The data of each batteries' duration will be recorded and compared to see which storing method is the most efficient. During our experiment, we noticed a few things. The flashlight containing the hot battery had a fainter light than the cold flashlight which lasted longer. Our hypothesis was correct in saying that the lifespan of the hot battery's life decreased. The temperature does, in fact, affect how long a battery lasts. These results will help people conserve energy.
Materials
10 Duracell AA batteries (2 per trial)
2 flashlights that require one battery each
500mL of ice water (10°C)
500mL of hot water (80°C)
(2) 500mL beakers
3 large socks
Thermometer (Celsius)
Plastic food wrap
Procedure
Wrap socks around the beakers.
Label beakers and flashlight as ''hot'' and ''cold''.
Wrap batteries tightly in plastic wrapping.
Pour water into specified beakers.
Place batteries into labeled beakers.
Leave batteries in for 40 minutes.
Remove batteries from water and unwrap.
Allow batteries to rest for 5 minutes.
Insert batteries into specified flashlights.
Turn on flashlights at the same time and leave on.
Record battery duration when a flashlight turns off.
Problem Does temperature affect a battery's lifespan?
Hypothesis If a battery is placed in a hot environment, then it's life will decrease.
Purpose
Batteries are used for many things, but why do they die so quickly? The purpose of this lab is to determine how temperature affects the life of the battery. This experiment was created to figure out how long batteries will last in different temperatures. Batteries work better at specific temperatures and any differences can change their performance. People have always wondered about how long batteries will last if they were put in different temperatures, such as the freezer. What happened at the end of this experiment will surely be a surprise to everyone.
History
Around two thousand years ago, the very first battery in electro chemistry was born. Luigi Galvani discovered this earliest known battery. In 1780, Galvani touched a frog’s leg with iron and the leg twitched. Alessandra Volta stated his theory that this phenomenon was caused by two different metals touching moist objects. Volta proved his hypothesis and invented the first real battery, the voltaic pile. "To build the first modern electrical battery, Volta stacked disks of zinc and silver to form a 'pile'"(Jacobs, 2005). The brine Volta soaked with cardboard plays the role of the electrolyte.
It is a real battery because it produced a continuous and stable current.
Throughout many years of battery development, the alkaline battery was invented in the late 1950s. Lew Urry invented the battery at the Eveready Battery Company in Parma, Ohio. The battery finally started selling in 1959. Improvements have been made for this battery; therefore, it allows the battery's lifespan to last in a longer period of time as it discharges (Lipka, 2013). Many people prefer to use alkaline batteries with modern objects today.
Process There are many types of batteries such as AC adapters, C, AA, AAA batteries. There is a difference between the smaller and larger sizes and that is because the larger batteries can provide more current. A battery is commonly called a group of interlinked cells. Two significant parts of a battery is the anode (-) and the cathode (+). The cathode and anode (the positive and negative sides at either end of a battery) are hooked up to an electrical circuit, a closed path that energy flows through. A cell produces electricity when one end of a cathode and one end of an anode are placed into a third substance that can conduct electricity, while their other ends are connected (How Products Are Made, 2013). The anode draws oxygen atoms toward it, upon creating an electric flow. Accurate adjustments of all of the materials used in a cell can affect the amount of electricity that can be produced, the rate of production, the voltage at which electricity is delivered through the lifetime of the cell, and the cell's ability to have effect at different temperatures. In general, higher temperatures improve the rate at which you can charge or discharge a battery. Changes in temperature can have a significant effect on the flow of electrons from one side of a battery to the other (Evans, 2013). Cold temperature increases the internal resistance of a battery, but diminishes the capacity. Heat lowers the internal resistance, which is the chemical properties; temperature, and the discharge current. For example, warming a dying flashlight or cellular phone battery in your jean pocket might provide additional run-time in the winter. Operating a battery at a elevated temperature momentarily improves performance by lowering the internal resistance and speeding up the chemical metabolism (How Products Are Made, 2013).
Application People will start to store their batteries at a specified temperature to conserve their energy and extend their duration. People will start using their batteries more practically and stop wasting their power. This will not only work for flashlights, but for anything someone could possibly think of that uses a battery. For example, to conserve battery life, people will learn not to store their cell phones "in a non-temperature controlled room, in a closed bathroom with the shower on, in a closed car on a hot day, in a steam-room or a sauna to name a few places" (Hagopian, 2006). There will be less electronic waste as the world learns to use this method of conserving energy. Perhaps, new and improved batteries will be created in electro chemistry with the results from this lab experiment in mind.
Reflection
What first started as a simple curious thought, later turned into a full-blown science project. These little cells of energy, called batteries, are more complicating than people think. We learned many unknown facts as we conducted our research. Such as the fact that batteries send energy through metal plates layered on top of each other to create electricity. And we also discovered that the negative and positive sides of batteries are called the anode and cathode. We already knew beforehand that temperature definitely affects the way batteries functioned, but we weren't sure what those effects would be.
In our hypothesis, we predicted that if we placed a battery in a hot environment, then its lifespan will decrease. Surprising as it is, we were right. The battery in a colder temperature lasted much longer than the one in a warmer temperature. To receive better results, we should have left the batteries in their assigned temperatures longer than 40 minutes. We could also improve by making the timing of the flashlights more accurate. Since the flashlights took quite a while to turn off, we should have used something else that would drain the energy faster. Although researching electro-chemistry was fun this year, we would take a break from it and try something new and exciting that would bring on more curiosity.
Analysis
Throughout the experiment, the flashlight containing the hot battery appeared dimmer than the flashlight carrying the cold battery. After 6 hours, the flashlight with the hot battery started to flicker for trials 1, 2, and 4. The data table represents how long each battery lasted. Looking at the results, the cold battery lasted longer than the hot battery for all five trials. All hot batteries lasted for around 7-8 hours. The cold batteries died around 9-10 hours.The bar graph shows the five trials for both batteries.The legend for the graph shows that the blue bars represent the cold battery while the red bars represent the hot battery. All of the bars for the cold battery appear a little taller than those of the hot battery. This shows that the cold batteries lasted longer.
Conclusion
In the end our hypothesis was surprisingly correct, the batteries lifespan decreased when it was put into a warmer climate. If we were to do this project again, we would have used something else to drain the batteries' energy faster. Also, we would have left the batteries in their assigned temperatures longer for a shorter time result. The problem with our experiment was that the flashlights took a while to turn off. In the future we would suggest a multimeter, an instrument designed to measure electric current. These would be the changes we would do to our experiment.
Data Table
Table 1. The Number of Hours a Battery Lasts in Hot (°C) and Cold (°C) Environments
Battery Life in Hot and Cold Environments (°C)
Temperature
Trial 1
Trial 2
Trial 3
Trial 4
Trial 5
Hot water (80°C)
8.14
8.12
7.36
8.34
7.08
Cold water (10°C)
9.23
10.7
9.37
9.48
10.21
Variables
Controlled variable: Amount of water, time flashlights turned on, same brand of flashlights
Dependent variable: Water's temperature
Independent variable: Batteries' lifespan
Glossary 1. alkaline- containing alkali; the hydroxides of the alkali metals and of ammonium, that neutralize acids to form salts and turn red litmus paper blue
2. conserve- to hold (a property) constant during an interaction or process
3. discharge- to relieve of a charge or load; unload
4. electro chemistry- the branch of chemistry that deals with the chemical changes produced by electricity and the production of electricity by chemical changes
5. electrode- a conductor, through which a current enters or leaves a nonmetallic medium
6. electrolyte- a conducting medium in which the flow of current is accompanied by the movement of matter in the form of ions
7. energy- an adequate or abundant amount of such power
8. temperature- a measure of the warmth or coldness of an object or substance with reference to some standard value
9. voltage- electromotive force or potential difference expressed in volts
10. voltaic cell- pertaining to electricity or electric currents, especially when produced by chemical action, as in a cell
11. anode- the negative terminal of a voltaic cell or battery
12. cathode- the positive terminal of a voltaic cell or battery
Rubric for 2f- deadline extended to 4/30 You will get Tuesday class time (4/30) to make any additional revisions. Must use 3rd person AND in-text citations for Purpose, History, Process, & Applications paragraphs.
Pts. Earned
Pts. Possible
Abstract (Q1-2)
5
5
Purpose
4.5
5
History
5
5
Process
4.5
5
Applications (Formerly Future)
3.5
5
Reflection (about research AND lab)
5
5
Glossary
5
5
Works Cited
3.5
5
Total
36
40
Rubric for 5-6ab- deadline 5/3 You will get class time (4/30 & 5/2) to make additional revisions to your wikispace page.
Our experiment was designed to tell whether or not temperature affects a battery's life. From what we've gathered so far, we've learned that when batteries are in warmer climates, the cells within will become more active and last longer. To test this, our procedure is basically placing batteries in temperature-controlled water in a container. The batteries will be left in the container for a set amount of time, then be pulled out and placed into a flashlight to test the lifespan. The data of each batteries' duration will be recorded and compared to see which storing method is the most efficient. During our experiment, we noticed a few things. The flashlight containing the hot battery had a fainter light than the cold flashlight which lasted longer. Our hypothesis was correct in saying that the lifespan of the hot battery's life decreased. The temperature does, in fact, affect how long a battery lasts. These results will help people conserve energy.
Materials
Procedure
Problem
Does temperature affect a battery's lifespan?
Hypothesis
If a battery is placed in a hot environment, then it's life will decrease.
Purpose
Batteries are used for many things, but why do they die so quickly? The purpose of this lab is to determine how temperature affects the life of the battery. This experiment was created to figure out how long batteries will last in different temperatures. Batteries work better at specific temperatures and any differences can change their performance. People have always wondered about how long batteries will last if they were put in different temperatures, such as the freezer. What happened at the end of this experiment will surely be a surprise to everyone.
History
Around two thousand years ago, the very first battery in electro chemistry was born. Luigi Galvani discovered this earliest known battery. In 1780, Galvani touched a frog’s leg with iron and the leg twitched. Alessandra Volta stated his theory that this phenomenon was caused by two different metals touching moist objects. Volta proved his hypothesis and invented the first real battery, the voltaic pile. "To build the first modern electrical battery, Volta stacked disks of zinc and silver to form a 'pile'"(Jacobs, 2005). The brine Volta soaked with cardboard plays the role of the electrolyte.
It is a real battery because it produced a continuous and stable current.
Throughout many years of battery development, the alkaline battery was invented in the late 1950s. Lew Urry invented the battery at the Eveready Battery Company in Parma, Ohio. The battery finally started selling in 1959. Improvements have been made for this battery; therefore, it allows the battery's lifespan to last in a longer period of time as it discharges (Lipka, 2013). Many people prefer to use alkaline batteries with modern objects today.
Process
There are many types of batteries such as AC adapters, C, AA, AAA batteries. There is a difference between the smaller and larger sizes and that is because the larger batteries can provide more current. A battery is commonly called a group of interlinked cells. Two significant parts of a battery is the anode (-) and the cathode (+). The cathode and anode (the positive and negative sides at either end of a battery) are hooked up to an electrical circuit, a closed path that energy flows through.
A cell produces electricity when one end of a cathode and one end of an anode are placed into a third substance that can conduct electricity, while their other ends are connected (How Products Are Made, 2013). The anode draws oxygen atoms toward it, upon creating an electric flow. Accurate adjustments of all of the materials used in a cell can affect the amount of electricity that can be produced, the rate of production, the voltage at which electricity is delivered through the lifetime of the cell, and the cell's ability to have effect at different temperatures.
In general, higher temperatures improve the rate at which you can charge or discharge a battery. Changes in temperature can have a significant effect on the flow of electrons from one side of a battery to the other (Evans, 2013). Cold temperature increases the internal resistance of a battery, but diminishes the capacity. Heat lowers the internal resistance, which is the chemical properties; temperature, and the discharge current. For example, warming a dying flashlight or cellular phone battery in your jean pocket might provide additional run-time in the winter. Operating a battery at a elevated temperature momentarily improves performance by lowering the internal resistance and speeding up the chemical metabolism (How Products Are Made, 2013).
Application
People will start to store their batteries at a specified temperature to conserve their energy and extend their duration. People will start using their batteries more practically and stop wasting their power. This will not only work for flashlights, but for anything someone could possibly think of that uses a battery. For example, to conserve battery life, people will learn not to store their cell phones "in a non-temperature controlled room, in a closed bathroom with the shower on, in a closed car on a hot day, in a steam-room or a sauna to name a few places" (Hagopian, 2006). There will be less electronic waste as the world learns to use this method of conserving energy. Perhaps, new and improved batteries will be created in electro chemistry with the results from this lab experiment in mind.
Reflection
What first started as a simple curious thought, later turned into a full-blown science project. These little cells of energy, called batteries, are more complicating than people think. We learned many unknown facts as we conducted our research. Such as the fact that batteries send energy through metal plates layered on top of each other to create electricity. And we also discovered that the negative and positive sides of batteries are called the anode and cathode. We already knew beforehand that temperature definitely affects the way batteries functioned, but we weren't sure what those effects would be.
In our hypothesis, we predicted that if we placed a battery in a hot environment, then its lifespan will decrease. Surprising as it is, we were right. The battery in a colder temperature lasted much longer than the one in a warmer temperature. To receive better results, we should have left the batteries in their assigned temperatures longer than 40 minutes. We could also improve by making the timing of the flashlights more accurate. Since the flashlights took quite a while to turn off, we should have used something else that would drain the energy faster. Although researching electro-chemistry was fun this year, we would take a break from it and try something new and exciting that would bring on more curiosity.
Analysis
Throughout the experiment, the flashlight containing the hot battery appeared dimmer than the flashlight carrying the cold battery. After 6 hours, the flashlight with the hot battery started to flicker for trials 1, 2, and 4. The data table represents how long each battery lasted. Looking at the results, the cold battery lasted longer than the hot battery for all five trials. All hot batteries lasted for around 7-8 hours. The cold batteries died around 9-10 hours.The bar graph shows the five trials for both batteries.The legend for the graph shows that the blue bars represent the cold battery while the red bars represent the hot battery. All of the bars for the cold battery appear a little taller than those of the hot battery. This shows that the cold batteries lasted longer.
Conclusion
In the end our hypothesis was surprisingly correct, the batteries lifespan decreased when it was put into a warmer climate. If we were to do this project again, we would have used something else to drain the batteries' energy faster. Also, we would have left the batteries in their assigned temperatures longer for a shorter time result. The problem with our experiment was that the flashlights took a while to turn off. In the future we would suggest a multimeter, an instrument designed to measure electric current. These would be the changes we would do to our experiment.
Data Table
Table 1. The Number of Hours a Battery Lasts in Hot (°C) and Cold (°C) Environments
Variables
Controlled variable: Amount of water, time flashlights turned on, same brand of flashlights
Dependent variable: Water's temperature
Independent variable: Batteries' lifespan
Glossary
1. alkaline- containing alkali; the hydroxides of the alkali metals and of ammonium, that neutralize acids to form salts and turn red litmus paper blue
2. conserve- to hold (a property) constant during an interaction or process
3. discharge- to relieve of a charge or load; unload
4. electro chemistry- the branch of chemistry that deals with the chemical changes produced by electricity and the production of electricity by
chemical changes
5. electrode- a conductor, through which a current enters or leaves a nonmetallic medium
6. electrolyte- a conducting medium in which the flow of current is accompanied by the movement of matter in the form of ions
7. energy- an adequate or abundant amount of such power
8. temperature- a measure of the warmth or coldness of an object or substance with reference to some standard value
9. voltage- electromotive force or potential difference expressed in volts
10. voltaic cell- pertaining to electricity or electric currents, especially when produced by chemical action, as in a cell
11. anode- the negative terminal of a voltaic cell or battery
12. cathode- the positive terminal of a voltaic cell or battery
Works Cited (only lipka and jacobs were cited- how about the rest?)
Evans, K. “Does Cold Temperature Affect the Life of a Battery?” 2013. ehow.com. http://www.ehow.com/info_10036374_cold-temperature-affect-life-battery.html
Hagopian, D. “Temperature Affects Batteries?” 10 August 2006. Batteryeducation.com. http://www.batteryeducation.com/2006/08/temperature_aff.html
Jacobs, M. “History of the Battery.” 2005. American Chemical Society. http://acswebcontent.acs.org/landmarks/drycell/history.html
Lipka, N. “Alkaline Batteries.” 2013. Earth911. http://earth911.com/recycling/hazardous/single-use-batteries/alkaline-batteries/
No Author. "How Products Are Made." 2013. Advameg, Inc. http://www.madehow.com/Volume-1/Battery.html
Rubric for 2e.
You will get Tuesday class time (4/30) to make any additional revisions.
Must use 3rd person AND in-text citations for Purpose, History, Process, & Applications paragraphs.
Rubric for 5-6ab- deadline 5/3
You will get class time (4/30 & 5/2) to make additional revisions to your wikispace page.