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I'm in year 10 (9th Grade for the Americans) and I just had a question about physics.

How does a battery create potential difference?

It it because the electrons are gaining energy as they get pulled further away from their atoms or it is becuase of the concentration of delocalised electrons at the negative terminal?

Qmechanic
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    Does this answer your question? How is a potential difference created between two points? – SarGe Aug 12 '20 at 10:12
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_battery#Principle_of_operation Short version: Two chemical "half reactions" take place inside each cell; A half-reaction between the solid "anode" and the liquid or paste "electrolyte" creates positive ions in the electrolyte, and a half-reaction at the solid "cathode" consumes them. This action builds up an electric charge between the two electrodes, and the built-up charge prevents further reaction until an external, conductive path (circuit) is provided, allowing negative charge (electrons) to flow from the anode to the cathode. – Solomon Slow Aug 12 '20 at 11:23
  • P.S., If you want a deeper understanding of batteries, you probably will find more satisfying answers from the realm of chemistry rather than physics. – Solomon Slow Aug 12 '20 at 11:56
  • have a look http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/electric/battery.html – anna v Aug 12 '20 at 11:57
  • Four voters want to close this question as a duplicate, but three of them are recommending an alternative question that doesn't ask about batteries, with answers that barely mention batteries. Better would be if the OP or some moderator would move the question to https://chemistry.stackexchange.com/ – Solomon Slow Aug 13 '20 at 12:29

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