Electrical – No potential difference between the negative terminal of battery A and positive terminal of battery B

batteriestheoryvoltage

I know that if you have two batteries, battery A and battery B, and connect the negative terminal of battery A to the positive terminal of battery B, there is no potential difference. If you consider the negative and positive terminals of the same battery, the potential difference exists (say 1.5V).

I've learned that the potential difference exists because the atoms at the positive terminal have few electrons compared to the negative terminal and so electrons flow to equalize the two terminals. Why does this flow only occur when it is the terminals of the same battery and not opposite terminals of two different (identical in all characteristics) batteries?

Best Answer

Measuring over two separate batteries won't work as they have no reference between each other. Connecting two separate batteries with a single wire does not complete a circuit so current does not flow. It only makes the connected battery terminals to be at same potential, so you can build a 3V battery from two 1.5V batteries.