From Frog Legs to Batteries: How Does Energy Storage Work? - Summary

The history of the battery begins with a curious scientist and some frog legs.

A Bit of History

Luigi Galvani discovered in the 18th century a connection between layered metals and muscle twitching in frog legs. Alessandro Volta recognized that electrical voltage can be generated with two different metal discs and a leather disc soaked in salt water in between – creating the Voltaic pile, the first technically usable battery.

Noble and Base Metals

Metal Type	Properties	Examples
Noble metals	Don't rust, keep electrons	Silver, Gold, Platinum
Base metals	Very reactive, give up electrons	Zinc, Iron, Aluminum

Battery Components

• Anode: Negative electrode (minus pole), releases electrons
• Cathode: Positive electrode (plus pole), absorbs electrons
• Electrolyte: Conducts electrical current through ions

The galvanic cell forms the basis for all modern battery cells.

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