Skeptics Stack Exchange
Skeptics Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [battery]

A device for storing electricity in a convenient compact form usually via chemical processes.

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Has an engineer called Trevor Jackson invented a revolutionary battery allowing for a car range of 1500 miles?

Since a few days several websites report about an alleged revolutionary electric vehicle fuel cell that enables 1500 miles range: Daily Mail Online StarCarSifu unserplanet.net Citing the Mail Online: by David Rose for The Mail on Sunday …
akraf
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Does China control 85% of the supply of rare metals used in lithium batteries?

A selected letter in The Guardian talking about electric vehicles claims: The rare metals in lithium batteries are produced only in inconvenient places. More than 85% of the world’s supply comes from China. How dependent will that make us upon…
Fizz
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Can you recharge non-rechargeable alkaline batteries?

There are conflicting reports of whether it is possible to safely recharge alkaline batteries (not lithium) that are not sold as rechargable. The packaging for batteries regularly has cautions against recharging. However, there are also claims…
Chris Dennett
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Can the health of an alkaline battery be determined by bouncing it?

I was just sent a YouTube video, which appears to demonstrate that one can determine the "health" of a battery (current voltage, useful lifetime remaining, etc.) by bouncing it on a level surface. A new[ish] battery will not bounce, and tend to…
Hendy
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Does fully discharging a Lithium-based battery reduce its lifespan?

According to Battery University, the less you allow a Lithium-based battery to discharge before charging it again, the less wear it will undergo and therefore the longer lifespan it will have. (e.g. discharging to 40% before charging is better than…
jezjez
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Is widespread adoption of the electric car unlikely due to lithium scarcity?

Although lithium is very abundant in sea water, only lithium mineral extraction seems to be economically viable. The world's total reserves in lithium minerals is estimated at 13.5 Mt (not sure whether this refers to the weight of the mineral or its…
wnrph
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Can you recharge a phone battery in the microwave?

Claim from Facebook: Did you know? A smartphone microwaves for just one minute will fully charge the battery. Lifehacker insists it's fake, and I know it is, but I figured it'd be a useful one to have someone explain the scientific basis or…
Mark Mayo
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Does never charging a laptop battery to more than 80% capacity increase its lifespan?

In relation to Does recharging a battery when it is only half-way dead decrease its life span? I read an article about Maximizing the lifespan of a laptop battery where Samsung puts it: Most battery damage occurs when the cells inside are at or…
Aske B.
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Does keeping batteries in the refrigerator ensure longer battery life?

I've heard that keeping batteries in the refrigerator ensures long battery shelf-life. Is this true? If not, where did this information come from?
Naftuli Kay
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Are nano diamond batteries a breakthrough in battery technology?

Recently, for some reason, this story first published in January 2020 was again trending on social media (this appeared on my YouTube feed)But for a more quotable version, this version from The Independent) appeared in January: NUCLEAR WASTE…
matt_black
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Can bouncing batteries tell you if they are charged or not?

I saw this article this morning, and while it seemed fairly legitimate, I was skeptical about it. The claim is that if you drop a battery (flat end down) it will bounce higher/longer if the charge is gone then if it's fresh. I figure if I had a…
aslum
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Do lithium ion batteries double effective performance every 18 month similar to Moore's law?

On Quora a person claims that lithium ion batteries improve roughly similar to Moore's law: The installed price of lithium ion batteries is dropping in half every 18 months and they last twice as long ... just like Moore's law for computer chips...…
Christian
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Should we remove batteries from electronic devices when not in use?

When I bought a digital camera recently, the shopkeeper advised me "to remove the batteries when the camera is not used for a long time". I have heard this kind of thing for other devices also (like torch). Does having these devices with batteries…
Vinoth Kumar C M
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Can aspirin revive a flat car battery?

I just read this article on The Reader's Digest which writes to say If you get behind the wheel only to discover that your car’s battery has given up the ghost — and there’s no one around to give you a jump — you may be able to get your…
Everyone
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Can Lithium Ion batteries explode or self ignite?

Transport Canada treat lithium batteries as dangerous goods: While most lithium batteries are safe, some have overheated and caught fire. Once ignited, they can cause any nearby batteries to overheat and catch fire, as well. These fires are…
cinico
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