Can someone please help me with this Chemistry problem? I would really appreciate the help! :)

Question

Which of the following statements is true?

A. A lead-acid battery uses a non-aqueous salt bridge.

B. An alkaline battery is not rechargeable.

C. A lead-acid battery contains several dry cells working together.

D. The interior of a lead-acid battery breaks down during use.

E. None of the Above

Answer 1

Hi Jesset C.,

(A) a lead-acid battery uses a sulfuric acid aqueous solution as the electrolyte in each cell, and metal connections between cells. There's no salt bridge, aqueous or non-aqueous, anywhere there!

(B) "Alkaline Cells" of my acquaintance are non-rechargable. That is, you might try, and end up exploding your battery. Messy! So, definitely true. Note: this relies on the conventional definition of "Alkaline Cell". It might be possible to construct a battery with a different chemistry, with an alkaline electrolyte paste. So it would be an alkaline cell, but not an Alkaline Cell. This is stretching things, however!

(C) Lead-acid batteries are "wet-cells". as noted in (A). That is the opposite of a dry cell, by definition! (Which has a conductive paste as electrolyte).

(D) Does the interior of a lead-acid battery break down during use? I think that's a matter of terminology. Certainly there are chemical reactions that occur at each electrode. But since they are planned, and reversible, most people would say that's not a "break-down". What's your opinion?

(E) "None of the above" cannot be true if (B) is true.

I'm just glad that no two lettered entries referenced each other, to set up a paradox. Hate it when that happens!

--Cheers, --Mr. d.