Past exam of the MPhil in micro- and nanotechnology enterprise course of the University of Cambridge / 2019 / Paper 1 / Section A(iii) / 7 / i / Solution

A Ragone plot has specific energy $e_s=E/m$ on its horizontal logarithmic axis and specific power $p_s=P/m$ on its vertical logarithmic axis, normally in $\mathrm{Wh}\mathrm{k}{\mathrm{g}}^{-1}$ and $\mathrm{W}\mathrm{k}{\mathrm{g}}^{-1}$. The comparison must use the same mass convention: complete devices cannot fairly be compared with electrode-active-material values. At approximately constant delivered power, the discharge time isThus constant-time lines slope upward on the log–log plot. Ordinary capacitors lie toward high power and low energy; batteries toward higher energy and lower power; supercapacitors bridge the two. Technology and operating limits produce overlapping regions, not universal sharp boxes.