Get ready to celebrate-February 18th is National Battery Day! An energy device that even many younger STEM students are likely familiar with, the battery has become a staple in our everyday lives. They continue to evolve along with our technological demands and devices, yet many batteries that were introduced decades ago are still found in many homes across the world. Let’s dive into batteries a bit more…
History of Batteries
Alessandro Volta is credited with inventing the battery, or what it was then termed- the volatic pile-somewhere around the turn of the 19th century. He stacked up discs of copper and zinc and then separated them using a cloth that had been soaked in saltwater. This allowed electrons to move freely between the plates and created a current that could be tapped. National Battery Day was assigned to February 18th in honor of Volta’s birthday.
It’s actually believed that the origins of the first concept of a battery go back to approximately 2000 years, when it was thought that the Baghdad Battery or Parthian Battery was created from a ceramic pot, copper, and iron. Its exact usage was unknown, but theories include storage for sacred scrolls and perhaps some kind of electrotherapy. Benjamin Franklin is also credited with contributions to the future of batteries. According to sparkfun.com, Franklin used the term battery to describe a series of capacitors he had linked together for his electricity experiments.
Fun Facts
Holidays Calendar has put together the following fun facts about batteries you can share with your STEM-enthusiast students:
- The first rechargeable battery was invented by French physicist Gaston Plant in 1859.
- Although batteries have an expiration date, that doesn’t mean that they are dead by that date.
- When batteries exceed their expiration date, they may lose some efficiency, but most continue to work for quite sometime after that date.
- The word “battery” was first used by the military to define a group of weapons used together.
- Benjamin Franklin borrowed the word “battery” to describe his Leyden jars—electrical components that store high-voltage electric charges.
- Potatoes can be used to power a clock – a trick performed in schools all over the world.
How to Celebrate
This is a great day to do a battery check around your house, classroom, anywhere!
Have batteries laying around a junk drawer? Test to see if they are still good, then get them organized! Remember to secure the ends of loose batteries such as 9-Volts with electric tape for safety! Find any dead batteries? Come up with a plan to properly dispose of them-check with your local waste and recycling centers for more info on the best and safest way to dispose of batteries in your area.
Also, why not consider checking the batteries in important contraptions around the room or house such as smoke or carbon monoxide detectors?
Ready to learn more and have fun? Check out these TryEngineering peer-reviewed lesson plans such as Flashlights and Batteries or Get Connected with Ohm’s Law. Also, be sure to check out the Electric Vehicles and Energy Storage editions of TryEngineering Tuesday which include resources for learning about batteries and beyond!
How did you celebrate? Let us know below!