Is a battery classified as AC or DC?

A battery is classified as DC, or direct current. This is because a battery produces a constant flow of electric charge in one direction, which is the hallmark of direct current. In contrast, alternating current (AC) periodically reverses direction, which is not the behavior exhibited by a battery. Batteries convert stored chemical energy into electrical energy, leading to a uniform output voltage. This consistent flow is utilized in many applications, such as powering small electronic devices, which rely on the stable nature of DC electricity to operate effectively.

The options indicating AC, both AC and DC, or neither do not apply to a battery's function, as they either reflect characteristics of specific types of electrical generation and transmission or misinterpret the fundamental operation of a battery.