What is the difference between a battery and a capacitor?

While batteries and capacitors have similarities, there are several key differences. Like -

• Electrical energy in a Capacitor is stored in an electric field, where a Battery stores its electrical energy in a chemical form. 

• When a battery is discharging it, can be slower than a capacitor's ability to discharge because there is a latency associated with the chemical reaction to transfer the chemical energy into electrical energy. A capacitor is storing the electrical energy directly on the plates so discharging rate for capacitors are directly related to the conduction capabilities of the capacitor plates. 

• A capacitor is able to discharge and charge faster than a battery because of this energy storage method also. But unlike a battery that can turn its electrical current on and off, once a capacitor is connected to an outside circuit it will discharge as fast as it can until all the charge is drained. 

• Capacitors are much larger than a battery that stores equivalent charge. 

• The battery runs for longer time, but a capacitor discharges almost instantaneously. 

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