Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: chemical cells
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
Batteries power everything from wristwatches to electric vehicles. Despite the ubiquity of the term “battery,” learners often confuse it with other energy-conversion devices such as solar or piezoelectric elements. This item checks foundational vocabulary in electrical engineering and physics: what a battery is made of and how it produces electrical energy.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
A single electrochemical “cell” generates electrical energy by redox reactions at two electrodes separated by an electrolyte. A “battery” strictly means one cell or, more commonly, multiple cells connected together to raise voltage, capacity, or both. Therefore, the most precise statement is that a battery is composed of one or more chemical cells.
Step-by-Step Solution:
1) Identify the nature of a battery: an electrochemical device.2) Recognize the basic unit: the chemical cell, which provides an electromotive force via redox chemistry.3) Connect terminology: multiple cells in series increase voltage; in parallel they increase available current (capacity).4) Conclude the accurate completion: “chemical cells.”
Verification / Alternative check:
Open any cell-level spec sheet (e.g., a “18650 Li-ion cell”). Battery packs list configurations such as 3S2P indicating 3 cells in series and 2 in parallel, reaffirming that batteries are assemblies of chemical cells.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Common Pitfalls:
Using “battery” for any energy source can blur distinctions among electrochemical, photovoltaic, and electromechanical devices. Precision matters in design and troubleshooting.
Final Answer:
chemical cells.
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