memóriahatást

The term "memóriahatást" translates from Hungarian to English as "memory effect." It is most commonly used in the context of rechargeable batteries, particularly older nickel-cadmium (NiCd) and nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) chemistries. The memory effect refers to a phenomenon where a battery, if repeatedly discharged only partially before being recharged, can lose its ability to hold its full original charge. Essentially, the battery "remembers" the shallow discharge cycles and begins to behave as if that shallower depth of discharge is its new full capacity.

When a battery exhibits the memory effect, a user might notice that their device runs out of power much sooner than expected, even after a full recharge. This is because the battery's internal chemistry has adapted to the repeated partial discharges. To counteract the memory effect, it is recommended to fully discharge and then fully recharge these types of batteries periodically. This process helps to reset the battery's memory and restore its full capacity. Modern lithium-ion batteries, commonly found in smartphones and laptops, are largely immune to the memory effect, making this issue less prevalent today. The primary causes are related to crystal growth within the battery's electrodes.