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Primary vs. Secondary Battery

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State

A primary battery's redox reaction is not practically reversible, so it is discarded once its reactants are spent, while a secondary battery's reaction is reversible, so it accepts recharging by driving the reaction backward.

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A single-use alkaline battery is primary; a rechargeable lithium-ion battery is secondary.

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"Rechargeable" describes a reaction's reversibility, not a battery's brand or price point.

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