2006-12-04 08:24:48 · 19 answers · asked by robzi 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
No. The metal casing does not change so that eliminates any issues from that. As for the internal portions, the chemicals inside would change but the total contents would stay the same... almost. I would say that technically the weight changes because of electrons lost to heat when the battery is used. If you look up the weight of an electron, the possible loss in electrons from using the battery when compared to the mass of the battery is negligible. For all practical purposes, no. For all purposes in a world where absolutely overwhelming attention to detail is necessary, yes. Your call.
Ken.
2006-12-04 08:31:15 · answer #1 · answered by Ken N 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A battery works by emitting an electron at one end, (it does work through a circuit) and receiving it at the other end. This causes a chemical reaction, but the same number of electron, protons, and neutrons remains in the battery after it is dead. So it would not change mass.
EXCEPT - that when an object losses energy (in this case, the chemicals which exist after the battery is discharged are at a lower energy state than when charged) They loss mass according to Einstein's E=mc^2 - But this change in mass is incredibly small. For example, as a rough estimate suppose a typical 9V battery can run a 100W radio for 10 hrs. The amount of energy needed for this is 100 Nm/s *10*3600 s = 360000s
The speed of light is 3x10^8 m/s thus plugging in the numbers... the mass loss would be 4 x 10^-12 kg (or 0.000004 mg )
2006-12-04 17:37:28 · answer #2 · answered by Leonardo D 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depends on what type of battery.
A single celled sealed battery will weigh the same flat as it does charged.
On the other hand a lead/acid battery will probably weigh slightley less after it has been charged.
This is because as lead/acid batteries are charged they release hydrogen as part of a electrochemical reaction taking place inside the battery.
There are the same amount of electrons in a fully charged battery as there are in an identical flat battery. (if this is why you raised the question)
Any weight gain or loss on the part of a battery is purely chemical.
2006-12-05 09:47:52 · answer #3 · answered by graemefirth894 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. All that changes is the state of the chemicals inside the battery. (Most batteries are sealed anyway so there's no question of anything with any weight leaving or entering the battery.)
2006-12-04 22:57:09 · answer #4 · answered by Cassandra 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depends on the kind of battery. For most types, no. However, there are some hearing-aid batteries that are air-activated -- that is, they use oxygen from the air as part of their chemical reaction. They actually gain weight as they discharge...
2006-12-04 16:30:05 · answer #5 · answered by pluck_tyson 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
IN theory a hot piece of material weights a little less when it's cold becouse it has lost thermal energy and energy correspond to mass by the Einstein's formula E=m*c2.
The same should be for a charged battery., then.
Attention please: the difference in weight is verrrrrry little, as you could calculate by the formula above.
2006-12-04 16:32:13 · answer #6 · answered by Gongolina 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no there is no less fluid in the battery unless you are talking about a car battery, i think it has to do with the reactions in the battery and something gets cloged up.
2006-12-04 16:29:29 · answer #7 · answered by nrk 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. The electrical or magnetic charge has no effect on an object's mass, and therefore it's weight due to gravity.
2006-12-04 16:28:51 · answer #8 · answered by InitialDave 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yeah, I think it weighs more because it has chemicals taht make the battieries work, and when it it all out of the chemicals, then it won't weigh as much.
2006-12-04 16:26:37 · answer #9 · answered by Taylor G 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
No they would weigh the same
2006-12-04 16:27:48 · answer #10 · answered by forest4eva2006 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋