Which description matches a chemical cell?

Which description matches a chemical cell?

• A. Stores magnetic energy
• B. Converts chemical energy into electrical energy
• C. Produces light energy
• D. Requires an external energy source to operate

Answer: (B)

A chemical cell stores energy in chemical bonds and converts that energy into electrical energy when the redox reactions occur at the electrodes. The chemical reactions push electrons through the external circuit, producing current that can power devices. This energy-conversion role is what defines a chemical cell. Storing magnetic energy describes magnets or inductors, not a chemical cell; producing light energy describes a light source; and needing an external energy source would apply to devices that require power input to operate, not to a cell that provides electrical energy from stored chemical energy.

A chemical cell stores energy in chemical bonds and converts that energy into electrical energy when the redox reactions occur at the electrodes. The chemical reactions push electrons through the external circuit, producing current that can power devices. This energy-conversion role is what defines a chemical cell. Storing magnetic energy describes magnets or inductors, not a chemical cell; producing light energy describes a light source; and needing an external energy source would apply to devices that require power input to operate, not to a cell that provides electrical energy from stored chemical energy.