Question map
In the context of electric vehicle batteries, consider the following elements: 1. Cobalt 2. Graphite 3. Lithium 4. Nickel How many of the above usually make up battery cathodes?
Explanation
Lithium-ion batteries rely on special metals like lithium and cobalt[1], which are key components in these batteries. The black mass contains all precious metals, such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, manganese or graphite, depending on the battery chemistry.[2] Lithium hydroxide is typically used for nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) batteries[3], which are common in electric vehicles.
In lithium-ion batteries, the cathode typically contains lithium, cobalt, and nickel in compounds like NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt oxide) or NCA (Nickel Cobalt Aluminum oxide). Graphite, however, is used as the **anode** material, not the cathode material. The anode is where lithium ions are stored during charging, while the cathode is the positive electrode that contains the lithium-metal oxide compounds.
Therefore, of the four elements listed, **three elements (Cobalt, Lithium, and Nickel) make up battery cathodes**, while graphite is used in the anode. The correct answer is option C - Only three.
Sources- [1] Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 4: Electricity: Magnetic and Heating Effects > A step further > p. 58
- [2] https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/2023/12/new-but-used_33bd60ec/28ee4515-en.pdf
- [3] https://www.irena.org/-/media/Files/IRENA/Agency/Publication/2024/Sep/IRENA_Critical_materials_Batteries_for_EVs_2024.pdf
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Full viewThis is a classic 'Functional Science' question. UPSC moves beyond asking 'What is a Li-ion battery?' to 'What is inside it?'. The strategy is simple: If a technology (EVs) is a national priority, you must map its anatomy—Raw Materials (Critical Minerals) → Components (Anode/Cathode) → Geopolitics (Supply Chain).
This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.
- Statement 1: Are cobalt-containing compounds typically used in cathodes of electric vehicle lithium-ion batteries?
- Statement 2: Is graphite typically used as a cathode material in electric vehicle lithium-ion batteries?
- Statement 3: Is lithium typically a constituent of cathode materials in electric vehicle lithium-ion batteries?
- Statement 4: Are nickel-containing compounds typically used in cathodes of electric vehicle lithium-ion batteries?
- Explicitly identifies lithium-ion batteries as relying on special metals like lithium and cobalt.
- Frames cobalt as a key metal in current Li-ion battery technology, implying use in battery components.
- Specifically links lithium-ion cells to batteries used in electric vehicles through policy and manufacturing context.
- Shows governmental emphasis on Li-ion cells for EVs, supporting relevance of Li-ion chemistry to EV batteries.
- States rechargeable batteries (including those that drive electric vehicles) are the class of batteries in question.
- Provides context that larger rechargeable batteries power EVs, connecting device use to Li-ion technology.
- Lists both anode-material regeneration studies and a paper titled about "graphite electrodes" in spent lithium‑ion batteries, linking graphite to electrode materials recovered from LIBs.
- The proximity of anode-focused research and references to graphite electrodes implies graphite is associated with anode materials rather than cathodes in LIBs.
- Explicitly describes carbon-based materials (graphene oxide / hard carbon) achieving "high performance as lithium-ion battery anode", showing carbon materials are used for anodes.
- Supports the inference that graphite (a graphitic carbon material) is used on the anode side rather than as a cathode material.
Says lithium‑ion batteries rely on special metals like lithium and cobalt, highlighting which elements are important in Li‑ion cells.
A student could use this to suspect that cathode materials often contain transition metals (e.g., cobalt) rather than pure carbon, and then check typical cathode compositions on a materials list or map of resource mining.
Notes that graphite is a good conductor of electricity and is an allotrope of carbon, identifying graphite as an electrical conductor suitable for electrodes.
Combine this with basic knowledge that electrodes need electronic conductivity to judge whether graphite could serve as an electrode material in batteries, then compare to named battery electrode roles.
Gives a general definition of a cathode in an electrochemical process: the site where metal is deposited (in electrolytic refining).
A student can extend this rule to recall that in batteries the cathode is where reduction occurs during discharge and then ask whether graphite chemistry matches typical reduction/host behaviour of cathode materials.
States rechargeable batteries (including those that drive electric vehicles) come in different chemistries and sizes, implying role-specific material choices for EV applications.
Use this to reason that EV battery electrodes are selected for energy density and lifecycle, prompting a check whether graphite meets the cathode performance demands for EV Li‑ion cells.
Mentions policy attention to lithium‑ion cells for electric vehicles, indicating their economic and technical importance and prompting closer scrutiny of their component materials.
A student could follow this to industry or technical sources listing components of Li‑ion cells (cathode vs anode) to see where graphite is commonly used.
- Explicitly names cathode-type material as a 'lithium transition metal oxide', indicating lithium is part of the oxide used in (cathode) materials recovered from Li-ion batteries.
- Directly ties lithium to transition-metal oxide battery materials commonly associated with cathodes.
- Lists lithium alongside cobalt, nickel and manganese — metals that are known constituents of battery cathode chemistries.
- Shows lithium is one of the key elements present in the battery 'black mass' derived from battery chemistries.
States that lithium-ion batteries rely on special metals like lithium and cobalt, implying these metals are integral to Li‑ion battery chemistry.
A student could combine this with the basic fact that 'cathode' refers to one of the battery electrodes and therefore infer that lithium (and cobalt) are likely part of the electrode materials to check whether they appear in cathode compositions.
Notes that rechargeable batteries (including those that drive electric vehicles) are used as the larger battery types for EVs.
A student could link 'rechargeable batteries for EVs' to the earlier mention of 'lithium‑ion' and then seek whether lithium appears specifically in the electrode (cathode) materials of those rechargeable batteries.
Says batteries can contain metals like lithium even when disposed, reinforcing that lithium is actually present in many battery types.
A student could take this as evidence lithium is a component of battery internal materials and then check whether those internal components include the cathode in Li‑ion chemistries.
Lists lithium among elements used in manufacturing a mobile phone, including its battery, showing lithium is commonly used in small rechargeable batteries as well.
A student could generalize from mobile‑device Li‑ion batteries to larger rechargeable Li‑ion batteries (like EVs) and investigate whether the same lithium‑containing electrode materials are used at larger scale (including cathodes).
Explains that rechargeable batteries power devices up to electric vehicles, linking battery technology across scales.
A student could use this connection to reason that material components mentioned for Li‑ion batteries in consumer devices (e.g., lithium) might also appear in EV battery electrodes and so look specifically at cathode formulations.
- Names the common cathode chemistry explicitly as 'nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC)', linking nickel to a widely used cathode type.
- States lithium hydroxide is typically used for NMC batteries, tying NMC (and thus nickel-containing compounds) to EV battery supply chains.
- Identifies NMCs as one of the most common battery chemistries used in EVs.
- By showing NMCs are commonly used in EVs, supports that cathodes in many EV lithium-ion batteries are the NMC type (which contains nickel).
- States that black mass from shredded lithium-ion batteries contains metals including nickel, implying nickel is present in battery chemistries.
- Supports the presence of nickel in battery cathode materials depending on the battery chemistry.
States that Li-ion batteries rely on special metals like lithium and cobalt, indicating that specific transition metals are important components of battery chemistries.
A student could note that other transition metals (e.g., nickel) are plausibly used in similar roles (cathode active materials) and check external sources on common cathode formulations.
Lists nickel among metals that can remain in used batteries, implying nickel is present in at least some battery types.
One could infer nickel-containing batteries exist and then use basic external knowledge (battery chemistry names or market maps) to see if nickel is used in EV Li-ion cathodes.
Provides an example list of many elements (including cobalt and lithium) used in manufacturing mobile devices, showing that consumer batteries incorporate a variety of metals.
A student could generalize that multiple metals are used in electrode materials and consider nickel as another common metal to investigate for EV batteries.
Explains that rechargeable batteries (including those that drive electric vehicles) are a distinct category, linking EVs to Li-ion battery technology discussed elsewhere.
Using this, a student could restrict the search to Li-ion chemistries used in EVs and then look up which metal-containing cathodes are typical.
Policy note refers specifically to manufacture and import of lithium-ion cells for electric vehicles, highlighting the relevance and scale of Li-ion cell production for EVs.
A student might combine this with the presence-of-nickel-in-batteries clue to prioritize checking industry-standard EV Li-ion cathode compositions.
- [THE VERDICT]: Moderate. A 'News-to-Science' bridge question. While NCERT Class VIII mentions Li and Co, the specific Anode vs. Cathode distinction comes from reading Science Explainers on the 'Critical Minerals' boom.
- [THE CONCEPTUAL TRIGGER]: The 'Critical Minerals' theme (GS-III). The discovery of Lithium in J&K and the creation of KABIL (Khanij Bidesh India Ltd) made battery chemistry a hot topic.
- [THE HORIZONTAL EXPANSION]: Memorize the Battery Anatomy: 1. Cathode (Positive): Lithium, Cobalt, Nickel, Manganese, Iron (LFP), Aluminum. 2. Anode (Negative): Graphite (dominant), Silicon (emerging). 3. Electrolyte: Lithium salts (LiPF6). 4. Separator: Polypropylene/Polyethylene.
- [THE STRATEGIC METACOGNITION]: Depth check. Don't just memorize 'Lithium is important.' Ask 'Where does it go?'. The trap here is Graphite. Aspirants assume 'all battery minerals go together,' but Graphite is the Anode, while the metals (Li, Co, Ni) are the Cathode.
Cobalt is identified as one of the special metals relied on in lithium-ion batteries.
High-yield for questions on battery technology and materials policy; links to mineral resource dependency, environmental issues, and industrial strategy. Mastering this helps answer questions on energy storage technology choices and raw-material geopolitics.
- Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 4: Electricity: Magnetic and Heating Effects > A step further > p. 58
- Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 8: Nature of Matter: Elements, Compounds, and Mixtures > A step further A step further > p. 124
Lithium-ion cells are explicitly connected to batteries used in electric vehicles and in policy support for EV manufacturing.
Essential for understanding India’s and global EV transition, industrial incentives, and import/export policy. Useful for questions on clean mobility, manufacturing policy, and technology adoption.
- Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 15: Budget and Economic Survey > Indirect Taxes > p. 448
- Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 4: Electricity: Magnetic and Heating Effects > 4.3.3 Rechargeable batteries > p. 57
Li-ion batteries rely on metals that are mined in limited regions, prompting supply-security and recycling efforts.
Important for questions on resource security, environmental management, and circular economy policies. Helps connect technological choices to trade, regulation, and sustainability strategies.
- Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 4: Electricity: Magnetic and Heating Effects > A step further > p. 58
- Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 4: Electricity: Magnetic and Heating Effects > A step further > p. 61
Graphite is a carbon allotrope that is electrically conductive and has distinct physical properties from diamond.
Understanding allotropes of carbon is high-yield for questions on material properties and industrial applications (conductors, lubricants, electrodes). It links chemistry fundamentals to technology topics such as battery materials and electronic components, enabling answers on why certain carbon forms are chosen for specific uses.
- Science , class X (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 4: Carbon and its Compounds > Allotropes of carbon > p. 61
Lithium-ion batteries rely on metals such as lithium and cobalt which are mined in limited regions and are central to battery performance and supply chains.
This concept is crucial for questions on energy technology, geopolitics, and resource policy—helping candidates discuss supply-chain risks, recycling needs, and industrial strategy related to EV batteries.
- Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 4: Electricity: Magnetic and Heating Effects > A step further > p. 58
- Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 15: Budget and Economic Survey > Indirect Taxes > p. 448
Rechargeable batteries are used across devices from phones and laptops to electric vehicles, and they degrade over repeated charge cycles.
Knowing the varieties and life-cycle issues of rechargeable batteries supports answers on sustainable technology, waste management, and policy measures for e-waste and EV adoption. It connects science fundamentals to environment and industry topics commonly asked in UPSC mains and interviews.
- Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 4: Electricity: Magnetic and Heating Effects > 4.3.3 Rechargeable batteries > p. 57
- Science-Class VII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 3: Electricity: Circuits and their Components > SCIENCE AND SOCIETY > p. 40
Lithium is named as one of the special metals relied on in lithium‑ion batteries used across devices.
High‑yield for questions on energy transition and critical minerals: understanding which elements power modern batteries links to mining policy, supply chains, and technology choices. It helps answer questions about resource dependence, industrial strategy, and technological change.
- Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 4: Electricity: Magnetic and Heating Effects > A step further > p. 58
- Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 8: Nature of Matter: Elements, Compounds, and Mixtures > A step further A step further > p. 124
Sodium-ion Batteries. Since Lithium is scarce, the next logical question is the alternative. Sodium-ion uses hard carbon anodes and sodium-based cathodes, eliminating the need for Lithium, Cobalt, and Nickel. Also, watch out for 'Solid State Batteries' which replace the liquid electrolyte.
The 'Metal vs. Non-Metal' Heuristic. In standard electrochemistry, the Cathode is typically a metal oxide (Lithium, Cobalt, Nickel are metals). The Anode is typically a host material like Carbon. Graphite is Carbon (Non-metal). Therefore, Graphite is the odd one out—likely the Anode. This leaves 3 metals for the Cathode.
Geopolitics (GS-II): The 'Anode vs. Cathode' split explains global trade wars. China controls 90%+ of Graphite processing (Anode), giving them leverage. The West is scrambling for Cathode metals (Li, Co, Ni). This science fact dictates the 'China Plus One' strategy.