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Having trouble understading the basics of a circuit

I'm currently studying current electricity and I'm having some issues with the fundamental concepts:
1)I know that the battery sets up a potential difference, but what potential are we talking about exactly? And why isn't it measured in joule?

2)I used to think that the main reason why electrons flow in a battery is because they want to even out charge distribution. I used to consider one of the nodes of the battery as a concentration of electrons and the other deficient in electrons. The electrons would thus flow from one end to another. This analogy is obviously flawed since charge is neither evened out and current keeps on 'flowing'. Any explanation on how and why a battery really creates current would be much appreciated.

3) I'm coming to think that the real 'goal/purpose' of a battery is to create equal potential difference across extremities parallel to it, is that correct? When a capacitor is connected to a d.c circuit, current still flows initially, even if the circuit is technically open. The reason they do that seems to be to establish the same potential difference as the battery. If my suspicions are true, then why does that happen?

I'm confused with how things really work and this is affecting my flow of logic. Please anyone feel free to provide an explanation. Thanks on advance๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ˜Š
Original post by XDestrior
I'm currently studying current electricity and I'm having some issues with the fundamental concepts:
1)I know that the battery sets up a potential difference, but what potential are we talking about exactly? And why isn't it measured in joule?

2)I used to think that the main reason why electrons flow in a battery is because they want to even out charge distribution. I used to consider one of the nodes of the battery as a concentration of electrons and the other deficient in electrons. The electrons would thus flow from one end to another. This analogy is obviously flawed since charge is neither evened out and current keeps on 'flowing'. Any explanation on how and why a battery really creates current would be much appreciated.

3) I'm coming to think that the real 'goal/purpose' of a battery is to create equal potential difference across extremities parallel to it, is that correct? When a capacitor is connected to a d.c circuit, current still flows initially, even if the circuit is technically open. The reason they do that seems to be to establish the same potential difference as the battery. If my suspicions are true, then why does that happen?

I'm confused with how things really work and this is affecting my flow of logic. Please anyone feel free to provide an explanation. Thanks on advance๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ˜Š



There are two things that one should keep in mind of a battery.

Battery stores energy NOT charges.
A battery is to provide a push on the charged particles in the circuit such that the charged particles are in steady motion.
Notes I did not explain how these two things happen, or how they are linked.

If you want to know how a โ€œsimple batteryโ€ work, I would introduce the following article by Rhett Allain (University physics lecturer) and read the comments by Bill Beaty.
https://www.wired.com/2015/02/battery-doesnt-store-charge-work/

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