Question

In an electric circuit containing a battery, the charge (assumed positive) inside the battery ____________ .

Options

• always goes from the positive terminal to the negative terminal

• may go from the positive terminal to the negative terminal

• always goes from the negative terminal to the positive terminal

• does not move

Answer 1

may go from the positive terminal to the negative terminal

 

In the study of electric current, the direction opposite the flow of electrons is regarded as the direction of flow of positive charge. In a battery, positive charge flows from the negative terminal to the positive terminal when it is discharging (connected to external circuit). But when the battery is charged, the positive charge flows from the positive terminal to the negative terminal.