battery

A battery generally consists of an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte.

Common types of commercial batteries and some of their characteristics and advantages are summarized in the following table. Battery types not shown include the Zinc-Air, Flooded Lead Acid, and Alkaline batteries.

Battery Type	Characteristics	Typical Uses	Advantages
Sealed Lead Acid (SLA) battery	Can hold a charge for up to 3 years	Backup emergency power source	Inexpensive
Nickel-Cadmium (Ni-Cd) battery	Fast, even energy discharge	Appliances, audio and video equipment, toys; most popular batter	Relatively inexpensive; widely available
Nickel-Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) battery	Typical power capacity i1.2 V - 1200 to 1500 mAh; extended life 2300 mAh; 2.5 to 4 hours battery life	Portable computers; cellular phones; same as for Ni-Cd batteries	No memory effect; unused capacity remains usable
Lithium Ion (Li-Ion) battery	Stable and safe; highest energy capacity	Portable computers; cellular phones; same as for Ni-Cd batteries	Twice the charge capacity of Ni-Cd; slow self-discharge

Learn more about Managing Mobile Users

Do you have something to add to this definition? Let us know. Send your comments to techterms@whatis.com

More resources from around the web: - Hawker Energy describes in general How a Battery Works . - HowStuffWorks' How Batteries Work provides another basic explanation.

FILE EXTENSION AND FILE FORMAT LIST File Extension and File Format List: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z #

RELATED CONTENT Mobile device management strategy for diverse mobile devices Creating a comprehensive mobile device management strategy that includes managing and securing multiple mobile device operating systems is discussed... Employees using their own mobile devices are a growing challenge Mobile workers who need IT support are more numerous than enterprises realize, according to Forrester Research. Hospital chain boosts indoor cellular with distributed antenna system A distributed antenna improved mobile access for doctors at Kentucky hospital chain Baptist Healthcare System.

RELATED GLOSSARY TERMS Terms from Whatis.com − the technology online dictionary enterprise-mobile integration  (SearchMobileComputing.com) Enterprise-mobile integration (EMI) is a form of fixed-mobile convergence (FMC) that provides integration between communications carriers and... Galileo  (SearchMobileComputing.com)