What is lead used for in cars?

Answer 1

Lead is used for batteries. In a car battery there are a series of plates that are coated with a lead oxide paste. Alternating plates are then given a positive charge. This turns the lead oxide into lead dioxide, giving the battery two dissimilar metals needed to make voltage when they are immersed in an electrolyte. This electrolyte in car batteries is sulfuric acid, H2SO4. When the battery is fully charged the chemical balance is H2SO4, and every positive plate is PbO2, while the negative plates are just Pb. When the battery is used the electrolyte generates electricity by trying to balance the two lead plates so that they become neutral. The sulfuric acid will form with both of the lead plates to form lead sulfate, PbSO4 and the oxygen in the positive plates combines with the hydrogen of the sulfuric acid, to form water, H20. During charging the water is split into hydrogen and oxygen. The positive plates collect the oxygen and the hydrogen is given off as gas and once again the battery is fully charged because the lead plates have opposite charges.