Voltaic pile
device · 1800 · Industrial Revolution
The first chemical source of direct current.
What it is made of
- Brine-soaked cloth discs — has part. Cloth soaked in brine.
Principles and materials it uses
- Electrochemical reaction — uses. Current arises from the reaction of dissimilar metals with an electrolyte.
- Direct current — uses. It produces direct current.
- Zinc — is made of. The pile is discs of zinc.
- Copper — is made of. And copper.
- Electrolyte — is made of. Between them is cloth soaked in brine.
History: what it evolved from and what it influenced
- Lead–acid battery — evolved into. Planté’s battery developed the idea of a chemical current source by making it rechargeable.
- Dry cell — evolved into. A convenient form of the galvanic cell.
- Electrolysis — evolved into. The first electrolysis of water was powered by a voltaic pile.