Question

What is the difference between a primary and a secondary battery?

Answer 1

The main difference between a primary and a secondary battery lies in whether or not they can be recharged.

1. Primary Battery:

1. Non-rechargeable: Once the chemical energy in a primary battery is used up, it cannot be restored.
   

1. Single-use: These batteries are meant to be used until they run out of power, and then they need to be disposed of or recycled.
   

1. Examples: Alkaline batteries (like AA, AAA), zinc-carbon batteries.
   

2. Secondary Battery:

1. Rechargeable: These batteries can be recharged multiple times. After they discharge, you can use an external power source (like a charger) to restore the chemical energy inside.
   

1. Multiple uses: They can be used for a longer period because you can recharge them many times.
   

1. Examples: Lithium-ion batteries (used in phones and laptops), lead-acid batteries (used in cars).
   

In short:

1. Primary batteries are disposable and one-time use.
   

1. Secondary batteries are rechargeable and can be used multiple times.