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Unread 16-12-2010, 09:40
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Re: Warming up the batteries

FWIW think about it this way:

1. All batteries produce energy and power through a chemical reaction.
2. In order for a chemical reaction to occur atoms or molecules of the two reactants must interact.
3. Temperature is the average kinetic energy (i.e. speed) of the random movements of atoms/molecules.
4. When a battery is cold its molecules are moving slower than if it was warm.
5. Slow moving molecules collide/interact less frequently with each other, making reaction rates in the battery go down.
6. Slower reaction rates in the battery mean that the battery cannot produce electrons as fast as it could when warm, so it performs worse.

50F probably isn't that big of a deal, but warmer is better.
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