I want to understand what's actually happening inside an alkaline battery or a rechargeable battery. It's not just magic, there's real chemistry going on, but I can't quite visualize the process with the electrons and the ions.
Basically, a battery is two different materials (the poles) sitting in a chemical liquid or gel (the electrolyte) that creates a reaction where electrons pile up on one side and really want to get to the other side, and that desire is what creates the current when you plug in a device. In an alkaline battery, it's zinc and manganese dioxide that react with the electrolyte, the electrons released make the journey through your circuit, and once the chemical reaction runs out, the battery's dead.
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