Batteries Nubla, Casey and Cleon

Batteries  Lead Acid Battery   Fuel Cell  Images from: -lead-acid-battery/

Lead Acid Battery  Chemistry:  Lead Acid Batteries, as the name suggests, uses lead (Pb), as the anode, lead dioxide (PbO 2 ), as the cathode, and sulfuric acid (H 2 SO 4 ), as the bridge  The lead oxidizes to form Pb 2+ and 2e -  The lead dioxide splits to form Pb 2+ and 2O 2-  Sulfuric acid then splits and the SO 4 2- bonds with 2Pb 2+ to create 2PbSO 4 and, in another reaction, the 4h + bonds with 2O 2- to form 2H 2 O Image from: accumulator-1

Lead Acid Battery  Chemical Equations:  Pb (s)  Pb 2+ (aq) + 2e -  PbO 2(s) + 2e -  Pb 2+ (aq) + 2O 2- (aq)  2H 2 SO 4(aq)  2SO 4 2- (aq) + 4H + (aq)  2SO 4 2- (aq) + 2Pb 2+ (aq)  2PbSO 4(aq)  4H + (aq + 2O 2- (aq)  2H 2 O Image From: astr.gsu.edu/hbase/electric/leadacid.html

Lead Acid Battery  Cost and Practicality:  The Lead Acid Battery is reasonably cheap compared to other fuel sources  Approximately US$50/kWh (“kilowatt hour”)

Lead Acid Battery  Impact on Society:  Exposure to excessive levels of lead can cause brain damage, affect a child’s growth, heavy damage to kidneys, impair hearing, cause of vomiting, headaches and appetite loss. Sometimes, it can also cause learning and behavioral problems  In adults, exposure to excessive levels of lead can increase blood pressure, cause digestive problems, kidney damage, nerve disorders, sleep problems, muscle and join pains.

Lead Acid Battery  Environmental Impact:  The acid that the batteries contains is extremely corrosive and also a good carrier for soluble lead and lead in particular  If the acid in the lead-acid battery leaks onto the ground, it holds a risk of contaminating the soil and the soil itself would become a source of lead particulate  Lead is a highly toxic metal which produces a range of adverse health effects particularly in young children.

Fuel Cell  Chemistry:  Hydrogen (H 2 ), as the anode, and Oxygen (O 2 ), as the cathode, are the most common chemicals involved.  2 Hydrogen atoms oxidize to form 4e - and 4H + atoms. The H + atoms pass through a polymer membrane to the cathode.  At the end of the reaction, the 4e - then join with the O 2 and 4H + atoms to make 2H 2 O Image from:

Fuel Cell  Chemical Equations:  2H 2(g)  4H + (aq) + 4e -  O 2(g) + 4H + (aq) + 4e -  2H 2 O (l)

Fuel Cell  Cost and Practicality:  Fuel Cells generate electrical power quietly and efficiently  As long as there is a steady flow of reactants, the battery never goes “dead”

Fuel Cell  Impact on Society  Fuel Cells are cheap and efficient to produce and to run  Fuel Cells can be used to power motors, lights or any number of electrical appliances

Fuel Cell  Environmental Impact:  Fuel Cells create no pollution  The only by-products produced from Fuel Cells are water and heat.  A primary goal of using the Fuel Cells is the reduction of pollution

Bibliography  Chemistry Context 2 Page 71  ents/Solid%20Waste/Guidelines/Battery%2 0Management%20.pdf ents/Solid%20Waste/Guidelines/Battery%2 0Management%20.pdf