i)
What is a capacity of a standard rechargeable battery before it has to be
recharged?
The
capacity of a battery is measured in millampere-hours (mAh), whether it is
rechargeable or not. A rechargeable
battery has a capacity that is about four times greater than that of a
disposable one. Figure 4 illustrates the
capacities of a rechargeable, Sanyo, and disposable, Duracell, battery, both of
which had energy drained at the magnitude of 500 mA. Rechargeable batteries have a capacity from
1200 to 1900 mAh on one charge. However,
this varies from what device it is powering and how it is being used.
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| Figure 4 Shows the contrast of capacities of rechargeable and disposable batteries. |
ii)
What methods should be used for disposal?
For
safety reasons, it is best to recycle batteries when they are completely used
up. Hoarding old batteries can be
hazardous as they can leak flammable chemicals.
Additionally, most rechargeable batteries contain heavy metals so they
have to be dealt with carefully. These
include cadmium, nickel and zinc, which can inflict severe harm on the
environment and people if not discarded properly. All types of batteries have to be dropped off
to recycling centres (Figure 5) as government recycling services do not accept them. These include disposable, rechargeable, cell
phone, lap top and car batteries. These
facilities have the appropriate personnel and equipment to dispose of them
safely, ensuring minimal harm on people and environment.
 |
| Figure 5 IKEA is one of many battery drop-off centres in Toronto. Here, you can recycle other household items along with batteries. |
iii)
What impact has the use of rechargeable batteries in portable devices had on
society?
Rechargeable
batteries are depended on to power both large and small electronic devices used
in everyday life. It is indisputable
that people have grown a strong dependence on them from the time they were
first introduced. Many everyday tasks
would not be carried out without them.
For
one, rechargeable batteries are used to power vehicles, which, alone, benefits
mankind greatly. Transportation is a
major aspect of the urban lifestyle as places span great distances. Therefore, without batteries a community
would not be able to function: doctors would not reach their clinics and
salesmen would not arrive to their offices.
Another important application of rechargeable batteries is its use in
hearing aids. Hearing aids are designed
for long-term wear and durability, as wearers can use them for up to 70
years. Since most users are elderly,
their health complications, such as arthritis, make replacing batteries a
menace. Therefore, hearing aids with
rechargeable batteries built in, as shown in Figure 6, have made the lives of seniors much
easier. The devices can be connect to a
charger every evening and have its power fully restored by daybreak.
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| Figure 6 Rechargeable hearing aids not only help the environment, but the elderly who use them. |
In
conclusion, rechargeable batteries have simplified many aspects in daily life. They have come a long way from the simple
electrochemical cell Alessandro Volta devised in the 1700s and will continue to
be one of the most valuable inventions of our time. Until another brilliant invention can bring
people power wherever they wished, these trusty, compact energy sources will never
grow obsolete.