What is the nominal voltage of a fully charged nickel-cadmium cell?

The correct answer is that the nominal voltage of a fully charged nickel-cadmium (NiCad) cell is 1.2 volts. This specification is important in various applications, especially in portable electronics and certain radio equipment, where consistent voltage delivery is crucial for performance.

Nickel-cadmium cells exhibit a nominal voltage that is typically lower than that of other common rechargeable batteries, such as nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) or lithium-ion, which usually have higher nominal voltages (like 1.2 volts for NiMH and about 3.6 to 3.7 volts for lithium). While dry cell batteries such as alkaline batteries have a nominal voltage of 1.5 volts, they are not rechargeable like NiCad cells.

Understanding the nominal voltage is essential for users who need to know compatibility with devices or systems designed to operate within specific voltage ranges. For example, if a device is designed to run on a battery pack made up of NiCad cells, using batteries with a higher nominal voltage could potentially damage the device or lead to suboptimal performance.