Cells, Batteries and Fuel Cells
Your phone battery is basically a portable chemistry lab! Cells use chemical reactions to generate electricity, and when you connect multiple cells together, you get a battery with higher voltage.
The voltage depends on how different your two metals are - the bigger the reactivity gap, the more electrical punch you get. Non-rechargeable batteries (like alkaline ones) stop working when the chemicals run out, but rechargeable batteries can reverse their chemical reactions when you plug them in.
Hydrogen fuel cells are the future of clean energy. They combine hydrogen fuel with oxygen from air to produce electricity, with water as the only waste product. At the negative electrode, hydrogen makes electrons (which create the electric current), whilst at the positive electrode, oxygen uses up those electrons.
Fuel cells never need recharging and produce zero pollution, but hydrogen is tricky to store safely and filling stations are rare. They're renewable only if the hydrogen comes from clean electricity sources.
Future Focus: Fuel cells could power everything from cars to homes - understanding them now puts you ahead of the curve!