In this topic, you study types of electric cells.
Primary cells
Simple voltaic cell
- Positive Plate – Cu
- Negative Plate – Zn
- Electrolyte – dil H2S04
- Voltage – 1.1 V
- Uses – Rarely used only in laboratories.
Lachlanche cell
- Positive Plate – Carbon
- Negative Plate – Zn
- Electrolyte – NH4CL
- Depolarizer – MNO2
- Voltage – 1.5 V
- Uses – Used for intermittent use and in laboratories.
Dry cell
- Positive Plate – Carbon
- Negative Plate – Zn
- Electrolyte – NH4CL
- Depolarizer – MNO2
- Voltage – 1.5 V
- Uses – General purpose cell, used in torch, transistor lab, instruments etc.
Daniel cell or gravity cell
- Positive Plate – Cu
- Negative Plate – Zn
- Electrolyte – dil H2S04
- Depolarizer – CuSO4 solution
- Voltage – 1.4 V
- Uses – Generally used in laboratories.
Bunsen cell
- Positive Plate – Carbon
- Negative Plate – Zn
- Electrolyte – dil H2S04
- Depolarizer – HNO3
- Voltage – 1.9 V
- Uses – Voltage is fairly constant but not in use.
Bichromate cell
- Positive Plate – Carbon
- Negative Plate – Zn
- Electrolyte – dil H2S04
- Depolarizer – K2Cr2O7
- Voltage – 2.0 V
- Uses – Used in laboratories.
Standard cell
- Positive Plate – Hg
- Negative Plate – Cd
- Electrolyte – CdS04
- Depolarizer – Mercury sulphate
- Voltage – 1.01864 V
- Uses – It is used to compare the e.m.f. of the other cells.
Secondary cells
Lead acid cell
- Positive Plate – PbO2
- Negative Plate – Pb
- Electrolyte – dil H2S04
- Voltage – 2.0 V / cell
- Uses – It is widely used in automobile, control pannels emergency light, locomotives, etc.
NiFe cell
- Positive Plate – Ni(OH)3 or Ni02
- Negative Plate – Iron Oxide
- Electrolyte – KOH solution
- Voltage – 1.2 V / cell
- Uses – It is widely used in automobile, control pannels emergency light, locomotives, etc.