Last updated: 7/6/2021
| Active Material | The chemically reactive material at the positive or negative electrode that engages in the charge and discharge reactions. |
| Ampere Hours (Ah) | The number of minutes a battery can maintain a useful voltage under a specified load. |
| Anode | An electrode through which electric current flows into a polarized electrical device. |
| Battery | One or more cells connected to form one unit supplying voltage and having provisions for external connections. Batteries produce electrons through chemical reactions. |
| Capacity | The ability of the battery or cell to supply current. |
| Cathode | An electrode through which electric current flows out of a polarized electrical device. |
| Cell | Electrochemical device capable of storing electrical energy. |
| Cell Jar / Cell Case | The vessel holding the cell components. |
| Charge Collector | The structure within the electrode that provides a current path to/from the active material. |
| Cold Cranking Amp (CCA) | The rating used in the battery industry to define a battery’s ability to start an engine in cold temperatures. It is the number of amps a new, fully maintained and charged battery can deliver at 0°F for 30 seconds, while holding a voltage of at least 7.2 volts for a 12 volt battery. The higher the CCA, the more higher the starting power of the battery |
| Continuous Discharge Rating (CDR) | Also known as an amp limit, this is the maximum amount of current (amps) that you can continuously draw before the battery heats up to unsafe levels (typically 75°C / 167°F). |
| Cycle | In a rechargeable battery a cycle consists of a charge followed by a discharge. |
| Dry Cell Battery | Batteries that can be mounted in any position because they are completely sealed & won’t leak acid. Most of these bare either AGM (absorbed glass mat) or Gel type batteries. |
| Duty Cycle | The use pattern for a battery including charge, overcharge, rest and discharge. |
| Electrodes | An electrical conductor used to make contact with a nonmetallic part of a circuit (e.g. a semiconductor, an electrolyte or a vacuum. |
| Electrolyte | Any substance containing free ions that behaves as an electrically conductive medium, usually when in a solution. Because they generally consist of ions in solution, electrolytes are also known as ionic solutions, but molten electrolytes and solid electrolytes are also possible. |
| Energy Density | A term used for the amount of energy stored in a given system or region of space per unit, volume, or mass. |
| Float | Maintaining a battery on a continuous, long-term charge, normally for batteries that sit unused for longer periods. |
| Flooded Cell | A cell where the electrodes are immersed in a pool of electrolyte. |
| Gas Recombination | Recycling gases formed within the cell rather then venting them to the atmosphere. This mainly pertains to sealed lead acid battery. |
| Leclanché Cell | A French electrical engineer chiefly remembered for his invention of the Leclanché cell, one of the first modern electrical batteries and the forerunner of the modern dry cell battery. |
| Life | The length of acceptable performance received from a battery, measured in years or in charge/discharge cycles. |
| Maintenance-Free Battery | A battery that where no electrolytes can be added. |
| Open-Circuit Voltage | Voltage of a battery with no load applied to it. |
| Operating Voltage | Voltage of a battery under load. |
| Overcharge | The application of charge current after the battery has reached full charge. |
| Oxidation | Describes the loss of electrons or an increase in oxidation state by a molecule, atom or ion. |
| Parallel | Interconnecting cells or batteries by joining all like terminals which doubles battery amp hours/run time & cca (cold cranking amps). |
| Plates | Lead plates used within a battery to hold a charge. |
| Primary Cell | Is any kind of electrochemical cell in which the electrochemical reaction is not reversible. A common example of a primary cell is the disposable battery. |
| Reduction | Part of a reduction-oxidation (redox) reaction in which atoms have their oxidation number (oxidation state) changed. |
| Reserve Capacity | The capacity of a battery, measured in minutes, to keep a vehicle operating if the charging system fails. |
| Sealed Cell | A cell where all reactants are retained within the container. May contain a vent for release during abusive overcharge. |
| Secondary Battery | A backup or spare battery used to replace the primary battery when discharged. |
| Self-Discharge | Is a phenomenon in batteries in which internal chemical reactions reduce the stored charge of the battery without any connection between the electrodes. Self-discharge decreases the shelf-life of batteries and causes them to have less charge than expected when actually put to use. |
| Separator | Material which provides separation and electrical insulation between plates of opposite polarity. |
| Series | Interconnecting cells or batteries by connecting the positive terminal of one unit to the negative terminal of the next, which doubles the battery voltage. |
| Wound | Interior cell construction in which plates are coiled inside. |
