Issue link: https://resources.mouser.com/i/1442856
| 12 | Introduction P eople don't want to be tied down. Everyone wants their independence and the freedom to come and go. Something in our DNA makes us want to travel to different places, explore unfamiliar destinations, take in new experiences, or go on summer vacation as we try to unplug and recharge. However, the one thing we can't unplug from or leave behind is our dependence on technology. Batteries provide untethered power, enabling convenience, dependability, and mobility—freedom. Environmental responsibility suggests that rechargeable batteries have the same benefits but can save money while reducing the amount of waste. Here, we examine the benefits of unplugging and recharging offered by rechargeable battery technology, enabling us to make life better. Batteries Modern society is in love with technology. We employ it to provide us with a better and more comfortable lifestyle. The technological hardware we use is greatly enabled by the physical phenomena of electrical charge in motion—electricity. Alternating current (AC), current that moves bidirectional, is useful for sending power over vast distances because of its simplicity in changing voltages through the use of transformers. On the other hand, direct current (DC) is a unidirectional current where electricity moves from a negative terminal in the direction of the positive terminal. One of the unique features of DC is that it can get stored for later usage. Batteries are electrochemical cells capable of storing and delivering DC. They come in various shapes and sizes and electrical capacities that get designed around their intended usage. Batteries might get classified as either primary or secondary. Primary batteries are not rechargeable; they are designed for a singular usage, whereas secondary batteries are rechargeable and available to be used repeatedly. Unplug Energy storage available in the form of DC batteries offers a significant advantage over AC power. It allows users to be highly mobile. By eliminating the need to be directly connected to an AC power source, batteries enable users untethered freedom to use electronic devices on the go. Unplugging leads to higher productivity, flexibility, and efficiency. It allows users to be untethered from physical locations such as power plants, factories, offices, and homes, and be out and about. After all, few of us today want to be tied to an electrical outlet all day. How far out and about one might ask? Well, pretty far. At the time of this writing, NASA astronauts Christopher J. Cassidy and Robert L. Behnken were aboard the International Space Station (ISS), working diligently to Figure 1 The International Space Station uses rechargeable batteries. (Source: Shutterstock)