voltaic cell
- noun
- /voʊlˈteɪɪk sɛl/
- Specialized
:
célula voltaica
- The voltaic cell powered the small lamp for hours before the chemicals were depleted.
Examples
-
A voltaic cell generates electricity through a chemical reaction between zinc and copper electrodes.
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Photo-voltaic cells.
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A report prepared by the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST 2005) suggests that by 2020, nanoscale technology will be making significant contributions in the areas of water purification, medical diagnostics, target drug therapies, and greatly improved solar voltaic cells.
Academic text (2013) -
In many experiments, a voltaic cell is used to demonstrate the principles of electrochemistry.
Synonyms
148
3.9
A small device inside a battery that makes electricity
1
5.6
A small battery that you throw away after one use
A device that makes electricity when chemicals react and cannot be recharged
A small device that makes electricity when its chemicals change
Antonyms
- Specialized
1
7.3
A device with a liquid that uses electricity to force a chemical reaction
How Powerful
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is directly compositional: it denotes a 'cell' that is 'voltaic' — i.e., produces electric current via chemical reactions — so a learner who knows both constituent meanings can infer the overall device meaning. A technical detail about rechargeability is specialized domain knowledge but does not block comprehension of the core concept.
Etymology
The term voltaic cell is named after Alessandro Volta, who made the first simple battery by stacking metal pieces that produced a steady flow of 'electricity'. The word cell suggests a small container where a chemical reaction makes 'electricity', so a voltaic cell means a small device that produces 'electricity' from chemicals and usually cannot be recharged.