Batteries, over the course of a few hundred years, have become an essential part of everyday life. Where would we be without our cell phones, our laptops, our PDA’s, our music players, and even our cars? All of these rely on the portable power of the battery. 
	The first practical-use electric battery was invented in 1800 by an Italian physicist named Allesandro Volta (1745-1827). This interesting device was named the voltaic pile. While very primitive and non-efficient, this battery inspired future experiments and breakthroughs. For his valiant efforts in the field of electricity, not only has Alessandro Volta been honored with the SI unit of potential difference (the volt) being named after him, a crater on the moon (Volta Crater) is designated by his namesake.
	In 1836, an Englishman named John F. Daniel was responsible for the creation of a much improved battery known as the Daniel cell. While like the voltaic pile in that both were made from copper and zinc, the Daniel cell was constructed in such a way that made its use much safer.	Innovations in battery technology, for the next hundred or so years, continued at a rapid pace. 1959 brought the creation of a battery that is still being used today. A Canadian named Lewis Urry filed a patent on the first alkaline battery. While many in the 1950’s experimented with alkalinity and its use in batteries, none were able to create one efficient and long lasting enough to replace the design which was currently in effect. An employee for a company known as Eveready Battery, Urry understood the need for improvements in battery efficiency. Realizing that attempting to improve current batteries was not worth the time and money, Urry set out to create a new type of battery. With the alklaline battery soon complete, Urry was ready to show off its true power. Demonstrating toy cars using his batteries in opposition to those using the current design,  his managers at Eveready Battery were amazed at how much more efficient this new battery was. To put into perspective how successful Lewis Urry’s idea truly was, consider the two following facts. The alkaline battery now commands 80% of all battery sales, and Eveready Battery, now known as Energizer Holdings, is in control of 25% of the battery market.
	How do these powerful modern day alkaline batteries work in comparison to other batteries? Soon after the zinc-copper battery was introduced, most batteries began to be manufactured using zinc and carbon instead. Zinc-carbon batteries remain popular to this day. They are a popular choice for