In the positive and negative terminal of a battery, there is potential difference due to the accumulation of charges in their respective terminal, so it created a potential difference, and if we connect a wire, then the electrons will go to the protons. My question is that do we need to provide electrons with energy to move to the protons or will they get the energy themselves. And potential energy is also defined as the "work done in moving a charge from one point to another" so we should be providing energy to the electrons?
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$\begingroup$ Is your question: how does a battery work? $\endgroup$– my2ctsCommented Jun 13 at 8:43
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$\begingroup$ The battery, not "we", does the work on the electrons in the battery. This work provides the energy to electrons, and increases their electric potential energy. $\endgroup$– Ján LalinskýCommented Jun 13 at 11:33
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2 Answers
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$\dots$ there is potential difference due to the accumulation of charges in their respective terminal, $\dots$ which is due to the electro-chemical reaction doing work moving charges within the battery until the electric field produced by the accumulated charge on the terminals is strong enough to oppose the effect of the electro-chemical reaction.
$\dots$ if we connect a wire, $\dots$ between the terminals of the battery then charges will flow outside the battery from one terminal terminal to the other and are replaced by the work done by the electro-chemical reaction moving further charges through the battery against the electric field produced by the charges on the terminals.
In effect the electrochemical reaction in the battery does work pumping charges within the battery which then move around the external completed circuit.
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My question is that do we need to provide electrons with energy to move to the protons or will they get the energy themselves.
The energy that drives electrons from the negative to positive battery terminal comes from the conversion of the chemical potential energy of the chemicals in the battery to electrical potential energy at the terminals. The electrical potential energy is then converted to heat due to the current dissipating energy in the resistance of the wire.
Hope this helps.
