Best way would probably be to use a multimeter or voltmeter.
Turn the meter on to volts DC and connect the probes to the battery terminals, if the voltage is shown as a negative, then switch the meter's probes around at the battery end so it shows the voltage as a positive reading on the meter.
Mark the positive and negative terminals on the battery after this.
Some car batteries have the negative terminal as the small post, but on some as the big post.
You would disconnect the battery terminals.
loose or dirty terminals?
I would check the battery terminals, probably a buildup of corrosion between the posts and the terminals, clean them up with boiling water and sandpaper till both parts are shiny clean. If you are connecting the jumper leads to the battery terminals when jump starting and it works fine then this is the only possibility.
take the terminals off the battery and run a wire brush through them, or sandpaper.
A battery clip is used to connect a battery securely to a device or circuit by attaching to the battery terminals. It provides a convenient way to make and break the connection between the battery and the device without needing to solder the wires directly to the battery terminals.
Related to a battery and open load is the battery just sitting there without anything connected. A short is a very low resistance attached to the tow terminals of the battery. For example, a wire connected across the battery terminals would constitute a short.
To check the voltage of a battery without a built-in hydrometer, a multimeter is the ideal tool. Set the multimeter to the appropriate DC voltage range, and then connect the probes to the battery terminals—red to positive and black to negative. This will provide a reading of the battery's voltage, helping to assess its charge level and overall health.
It's function is to provide a 'path' for electrons to flow between the positive and negative terminals. Without the acid, the plates attached to the terminals would simply be surrounded by air - which would not conduct electricity.
Connect a voltmeter across the battery terminals without engine running reading should be around 12.8 With engine running reading should be 13.8-14.2 if you are getting these numbers alternator is charging battery
disconnect both terminals from the battery for 5 minutes meanwhile touch the positive and negative terminals together a couple of times before reconnecting. this will reset all computer modules back to default. J
It will throw sparks, melt a spot in the wrench at the point of contact and if it should stick, drain the battery and very likely ruin it. You do this just to check if there is juice in the battery and just for a second.
No, a battery does not represent a system at equilibrium. A battery operates by creating a potential difference between its terminals through chemical reactions, which is a non-equilibrium process as it involves the flow of electrons from one terminal to the other.