Lead Acid Battery Theory
The basic workings of the lead-acid battery are essentially unchanged from its conception in the mid-1800s. A chemical reaction takes place between lead plates and sulfuric acid, creating electric current. When the current is depleted, the battery can be recharged many times.
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Description
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A lead-acid battery is a rugged rectangular box that provides and stores electricity. It can deliver large currents for short periods of time, like for starting a car.
Positive Plates
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Inside the battery, several plates of lead dioxide are wired to the positive (cathode) battery terminal.
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Negative Plates
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Plates made of sponge lead alternate with the positive plates. These feed the negative (anode) battery terminal. The different chemistries of each plate determine the kind of electric charge to deliver, positive or negative.
Acid
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The plates are immersed in a bath of sulfuric acid. Electrically-charged molecules in the acid form a conductive path and facilitate a flow of electricity from the battery.
Discharge
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When an electrical load is placed on the battery, the sulfate in the acid combines with the positive and negative plates, forming lead sulfate. Electrons from the reaction flow out of the negative terminal to the circuit and back into the positive side.
Charge
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When the battery is charging, the sulfate leaves the lead and becomes sulfuric acid again. The discharge-charge cycle can be repeated thousands of times--provided it's not discharged too severely.
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