? CALIFORNIA STATE SCIENCE FAIR
2003 PROJECT SUMMARY
Ap2/03
Name(s)
Project Number
Project Title
Abstract
Summary Statement
Help Received
Kasie Clark; Kelly Clark
Does Storage Temperature Affect Battery Life?
J0704
Objectives/Goals
The objective of this science project is to determine if the temperature of household AA alkaline batteries
are stored at will affect their life when tested in a low resistence battery draining mechanism.
Methods/Materials
40 Duracell AA Alkaline batteries were divided into three groups (room temperature, freezer, and
refrigerator) for 43 days. After 24 hours were allowed for them to come to room temperature they were
tested in a battery draining mechanism especially designed for this project. A stopwatch was used to test
the time it took for the fan on the mechanism to stop rotating. The times of all 20 trials of each
temperature group were analized.
Results
Our results show that the Duracell batteries stored at room temperature (average 68 F and 20.43 C) lasted
an average of 11.75 minutes; much longer than either the freezer or the freezer groups. Refrigerator
batteries were stored at an average temperature of 38 F or 3.33 C and the freezer batteries were stored at
an average temperature of 18.6 F or -7.44 C.
Conclusions/Discussion
Our conclusion is that room temperature is the best place to store Duracell AA Alkaline batteries of the
three temperatures we tested. The batteries were stored for a period of forty three days. We were
surprised to have conclusive data with this time period. We tested only Duracell batteries to control
variables but we would find it interesting to test other brands!
Our project was to determine if it is better to store AA Alkaline batteries at room temperature,
refrigerator, or in the freezer.
Hyatt Baker and Gene McGuire helped design and build the battery draining mechanism used to measure
battery life (on the display table).