10 Difference between Cell and Battery | Symbolic Representation

In this tutorial, we are going to study about the basic concepts-

• Are cells and batteries the same?
• What is the difference between cell and battery?
• What is the similarities between cell and battery?

Let’s begin from basic specifications.

Electric Cell vs Battery [in Tabular Form]

#	Content	Electric Cell	Battery
1	[Definition] What is cell & battery?	The device generates a single unit that can convert chemical energy into electrical energy (in the form of a DC source). This device is called an ‘Electric Cell’.	The device consists of two or more electrochemical cells that can generate electrical energy. This device is called as a ‘Battery’.
2	Size	Electric cell occurs in a compact size.	Battery occurs in bulky size compared to the cell.
3	Weight	It is very lightweight that can easily transport.	It is heavy that can’t easily transport.
4	Service Period	An electric cell has a short service life.	The battery has a long service life.
5	Cell & Battery Cost	It is cheap and affordable.	It is costly as compared to an electric cell.
6	Transportation	The cells are portable devices.	Some of the batteries are portal and some of the batteries are non-portal devices. It means that it depends on the size.
7	Voltage Source	It provides the DC voltage supply for a short duration.	It provides the DC voltage supply for a long duration.
8	Uses	The cell is used where we require less power or energy in electronic devices (like flashlights, torches, clocks, pulse oximeter, lamps, etc).	The battery is used where we require more power in electronic devices (like inverters, vehicles, automobiles, etc).
9	Examples	Leclanché cell, Galvanic cell, Daniel cell are the best example of the electric cell.	Lithium-ion battery, lead-acid battery are the example of the battery.

10. Cell and Battery Symbol

• Symbolic representation of Electric Cell:

Cell symbolic representation with voltage

• Symbolic representation of Battery:

Battery symbolic representation with voltage

Note: Positive terminal (+ve) represents the ‘Anode’ and the Negative terminal (-ve) represents the ‘Cathode’. (You can read- difference between the Anode and Cathode)

Similarities of Cell & Battery

• Battery and cell work based on an electrochemical (or oxidation-reduction) reaction.
• Both have the same function to stores chemical energy and transform it into an electric current or electricity.

You can see the energy conversion system of battery and cell below.

• Electric cell and battery provide a constant voltage (DC source) supply
• These two devices are active components. 

These are the 10 differences of electric cell vs battery. Also, covered the similarities between the cell and battery.

If you have any queries regarding differentiate between cell and battery, ask in comment below.

Read related some differences:

• Capacitor vs Battery
• Active Power vs Reactive Power
• Alternating Current vs Direct Current
• Electromotive Force vs Potential Difference
• Open Circuit vs Closed Circuit
• Series  Circuit vs Parallel Circuit
• Analog Multimeter vs Digital Multimeter

Thanks for Reading!