Which of the following best explains why a chemical cell (or battery) stops working?The wire connecting the electrodes has brokenOne of the reactants has run outThe electrolyte has run outIt has overheatedCHECK YOUR ANSWERS
Question
Which of the following best explains why a chemical cell (or battery) stops working?The wire connecting the electrodes has brokenOne of the reactants has run outThe electrolyte has run outIt has overheatedCHECK YOUR ANSWERS
Solution
The best explanation for why a chemical cell (or battery) stops working is that one of the reactants has run out. Here's why:
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A chemical cell works by a chemical reaction between two reactants, often metals, which are called the cell's electrodes.
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This reaction generates an electric current. The reactants are gradually used up in the reaction, turning into other substances.
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When one of the reactants is completely used up, the chemical reaction can't continue, which means the electric current can't be maintained.
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Therefore, the battery stops working.
The other options are less likely. If the wire connecting the electrodes has broken, the battery might not work, but this is a physical problem, not a chemical one. If the electrolyte has run out, the battery might not work, but this is also less likely because the electrolyte is usually a liquid or paste that doesn't get used up in the reaction. Overheating can cause a battery to stop working, but this is usually because it damages the physical structure of the battery or causes the electrolyte to evaporate, not because it stops the chemical reaction.
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