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05/01/2006 10:29 AM A fuel cell is an electrochemical energy conversion device similar to a battery, but differing from the latter in that it is designed for continuous replenishment of the reactants consumed; i.e. it produces electricity from an external supply of fuel and oxygen as opposed to the limited internal energy storage capacity of a battery. Additionally, the electrodes within a battery react and change as a battery is charged, or discharged, where as a fuel cell's electrodes are catalytic and relatively stable. Typical reactants used in a fuel cell are hydrogen on the anode side and oxygen on the cathode side (a hydrogen cell). Usually, reactants flow in and reaction products flow out. Virtually continuous long-term operation is feasible as long as these flows are maintained. In the archetypal example of a hydrogen/oxygen proton-exchange membrane (or "polymer electrolyte") fuel cell (PEMFC), a proton- conducting polymer membrane, (the electrolyte), separates the anode and cathode sides. Page 1 of 8 Fuel cell - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Fuel cell From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Technology http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_cell