Past exam of the MPhil in micro- and nanotechnology enterprise course of the University of Cambridge / 2021 / Paper 1 / 11 / iii / a / Solution

If the voltage were held at $4.57\mathrm{V}$ for the entire ideal discharge, thenand the electrical power would beThese are constant-voltage estimates, not a determination of the actual energy from the fresh-cell open-circuit voltage. Under load the voltage depends on state of discharge, electric polarization and internal resistance. The physical result is $E=I{\int }_0^{t_f}{V}_{\mathrm{load}}(t)dt$, and $P(t)=I{V}_{\mathrm{load}}(t)$. The supplied single open-circuit value does not specify that voltage curve; practical delivered energy will generally be lower than the simple estimate.