Batteries as capacitors

[ptimmerm@mashtun.JPL.NASA.GOV]

This is the quattro list and not sci.chem.electrochem,but
indeed batteries do have a true capacitance (non-faradaic),
in addition to the electrochemcial (faradaic) capacity.  It
can be quite large because the double layer cpacitance is
quite large for many electrolytes, and there is LOTS of
plate area, like a capacitor.

paul timmerman  - offical battery geek with pointy hat and stars

*****Merlyn wrote *****

Capacitors and Batteries are not the same thing. They are
both energy storage devices. The capacitor stores energy 
in an electrostatic field on the inner surface of its plates. The
battery stores energy electro-chemicaly. The cap will either
store or release energy depending whether the cap's voltage is
greater or less than that of what is connected to it. Caps oppose
a change in voltage.  The battery's emf is determined by the 
the type of anode/cathode material, the terminal voltage is
different than the emf, since there is internal resistance in the
battery and associated voltage drops that are influenced by the
current flow in the battery circuit.

Merlyn