Disposable, one-use batteries are sometimes known as what?

Disposable, one-use batteries are sometimes known as what?

• A. Secondary cells
• B. Accumulators
• C. Rechargeable cells
• D. Primary cells

Answer: (D)

Batteries that are designed to be used once and then discarded are categorized by their lack of rechargeability. These disposable, one-use batteries are called primary cells. The defining idea is that once the chemical reactions inside are spent, you can’t effectively recharge them, so you replace them instead. Examples include common alkaline or zinc-carbon batteries used in remotes and flashlights. Secondary cells are the opposite: they’re rechargeable and intended to be charged and used many times. Rechargeable cells is another way to describe those, and accumulators is a term sometimes used for rechargeable batteries in some contexts. But for a battery you’d throw away after one use, primary cell is the correct description.

Batteries that are designed to be used once and then discarded are categorized by their lack of rechargeability. These disposable, one-use batteries are called primary cells. The defining idea is that once the chemical reactions inside are spent, you can’t effectively recharge them, so you replace them instead. Examples include common alkaline or zinc-carbon batteries used in remotes and flashlights.

Secondary cells are the opposite: they’re rechargeable and intended to be charged and used many times. Rechargeable cells is another way to describe those, and accumulators is a term sometimes used for rechargeable batteries in some contexts. But for a battery you’d throw away after one use, primary cell is the correct description.