What might cause a nickel-cadmium battery to fail to deliver its rated capacity?

A nickel-cadmium battery may fail to deliver its rated capacity primarily due to faulty cells or cell imbalance. This can occur when one or more cells within the battery do not perform optimally, which can be caused by various issues such as manufacturing defects, aging, or damage. An imbalance can also happen if cells are charged or discharged unevenly, leading to some cells reaching their voltage limits faster than others. When there is a significant difference in the capacity or state of charge between the cells, the overall performance of the battery is compromised, resulting in a lower delivered capacity. This is why maintaining balance and ensuring the integrity of each cell is crucial for the reliable performance of nickel-cadmium batteries.

High temperature exposure, overcharging, and short circuiting can certainly affect battery performance, but they have more specific effects on battery life or safety rather than directly reducing the capacity in the way that faulty cells or imbalances do.