Glossary
Short Circuit
The undesirable direct connection of the two terminals of a battery.
A short circuit caused by a person is life-threatening. Apart from that, short circuits also damage the battery, as they can completely discharge a cell and render it useless.
Short circuits can be avoided by insulation and careful handling. When removing or disconnecting a battery, be sure to remove the negative (-) terminal before the positive (+) terminal and reconnect in the reverse order, tightening the positive (+) terminal first and the negative (-) terminal afterwards.