Electric potential doubt regarding batteries.

In a battery (like an AA battery), a chemical reaction takes place within to generate a potential difference between the positive and negative terminals.

My question is, why doesn't current flow through the interior of the cell immediately from the positive to the negative until there is no difference in electric potential through them?

Is it because the internal resistance of the cell is too high? But then the battery shouldn't be able to make current flow even in a closed circuit?

This has been confusing me for a long time, if anybody can answer it, or email me if you didn't understand my question, help would be much appreciated. Thanks!

It is because the chemical reactions between the electrolyte and battery electrodes is pushing electrons in one direction only. it is always trying to take in electrons from he positive terminal, carry them through the electrolyte, and push them out of the negative terminal. This reaction therefore oppose the flow in the reverse direction.

In a bit more detail:

When a battery is producing a current, the chemical reactions and battery construction cause the battery to:
- push electrons out of one side (the negative terminal where electrons are released due to the neutralization of negative chemical ions)
- take-in electrons from the other side (the positive terminal where electrons are used up due to the neutralization of positive ions ).

If you now DISconnect the battery, electrons can't flow out from the negative terminal. For a tiny fraction of a second the chemical reaction continues and there a a build up of electrons on the negative terminal giving it a small negative charge, It therefore quickly gets get harder for more electrons to be added due to the electrostatic repulsion from the build up of electrons. This causes the chemical reaction to stop.

A similar thing happens at the positive terminal. It quickly acquires a positive charge (due to a shortage of electrons) and the chemical reaction stops.