A trembling frog leg actually led to the invention of the battery?

On October 17, 2024, Hou Yimin, director of the Institute of Chemistry and Academic Committee of Henan Academy of Sciences, gave a speech entitled "The Past and Present of Batteries" at the "Charming Chemistry: Infinite Possibilities" theme session of Science Popularization China Starry Sky Forum.

The following is an excerpt from Hou Yimin’s speech:

Part 1 From Leyden jar to voltaic pile: the birth of the battery

In 1745, Professor Masonbrock, a physicist at Leiden University in the Netherlands, dropped an iron nail into a glass bottle while conducting an electrical experiment. He originally thought that the iron nail would no longer be charged after he took it out, but when he took it out, it was still shocked. This unexpected discovery made him realize that bottles can store electrical energy, thus giving birth to such a primitive electrical storage device. Since this bottle was discovered at Leiden University, people named it the "Leyden Jar".

The Leyden jar caused a huge response in Europe. Many scientists, especially electricians, used it for experiments and performances. One performance at Notre Dame de Paris was very interesting. More than 700 monks lined up hand in hand, with the first person holding the Leyden jar and the last person holding the wire. When the discharge started, everyone danced. The scene was very interesting and funny, leaving a deep impression on people and making them feel the power of electricity.

As the Leyden jar experiment spread widely, people became increasingly interested in electricity and began to try to use it to treat diseases or conduct interesting experiments. In 1780, Italian biologist Galvani used two pieces of metal to connect the frog's leg muscles and nerves when dissecting a frog and found that the frog's legs would tremble. He believed that this was due to the existence of "bioelectricity" in the animal's body.

After reading Galvani's paper, Volta, a physicist at the University of Pavia in Italy, conducted an in-depth study and finally proved that the trembling of frog legs was not caused by bioelectricity, but by electricity generated by the chemical reaction between two active metals and active chemicals, which is the basic principle of chemical power sources. So Volta invented a battery called the "Voltaic pile". Its composition is very simple, that is, a cloth containing electrolyte is sandwiched between a zinc plate and a silver plate. Volta thus became the true inventor of chemical batteries, and the voltage unit "volt" was named after him. From then on, the development of batteries entered a period of rapid development.

PART 2 The development of battery technology and its application in the modern world

The table below shows the development history of batteries, including lead-acid batteries, dry batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries, etc.

In 1911, China established a dry cell and storage battery factory in Shanghai, and we in China began to use batteries since then. With the rapid development of science and technology, the application scope of batteries is becoming more and more extensive. It is like an unknown behind-the-scenes hero, playing an important role in various fields.

It is a change agent in the field of transportation. The rise of electric vehicles is gradually changing the way we travel. Its core power source - power batteries, brings us an environmentally friendly and efficient driving experience. These batteries can store a large amount of electricity, giving electric vehicles enough range to meet the needs of daily travel and even long-distance travel. Their zero-emission characteristics have made an important contribution to improving air quality and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

It is a key player in the field of power storage. In the power grid system, batteries are an important force in balancing supply and demand. Capacitors play a key role in some power electronic devices that require fast response, ensuring stable operation and efficient work of the equipment.

It is a solid support in the aerospace field. The perfect combination of solar panels and batteries is the key to the continuous operation of satellites. From the life support system of the spacecraft to the communication equipment and navigation system, every key component relies on batteries to provide reliable power.

It is a key enabler in the field of communications. One of the core components of our mobile phones is the battery, which allows us to make voice calls, send messages and browse the Internet anytime and anywhere. Communication base stations are also equipped with large-capacity batteries as backup power sources to ensure the normal transmission and reception of communication signals in emergency situations such as power outages, thereby ensuring the flow of information in society.

Batteries play an irreplaceable role in today's life. With the continuous advancement of science and technology, battery technology will continue to innovate and develop, bringing more surprises and convenience to our future life.