Flaws in this animation of an electric cell.
In order to keep the concept of potential difference clear there are a few flaws in this animation which could not be avoided . Here is a list of flaws when looked at from the point of view of circuits.
- These are not batteries. Each is considered a cell. A battery is actually a collection of 2 or more cells.
- The charges in a cell are not grouped waiting at the ends of the cell. In reality these charges are stuck in the middle of a chemical reaction. The chemical reaction is allowed to continue only when a conductive path is created from one side of the cell to the other. Once the path is made, the chemical reaction continues which creates a buildup of negative charges on one material (zinc) and a lack of electrons on another material (copper). The copper is then connected to the bottom of the cell and the zinc is connected to the top. The cell "dies" when the chemical reaction has run its course and can no longer separate electrons from protons.
- The light bulb does not really flicker because we are not talking about a few electrons moving, we are talking about few billion or more electrons moving.
- The light bulb does not have to wait for the electrons from the cell to reach it. The wire itself is made up of a gazillion (roughly speaking) electrons that are free to move. Connecting the wire to the cell just causes those electrons to start flowing. It would be like having a garden hose with water already in it, then turning on the faucet. Water comes out the other side immediately.