🔍 Key Concepts

• Normal discharge current in a lead-acid battery (which way does current flow during use?) • Difference between direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC) in charging batteries • What actually changes inside a lead-acid cell when it is charged vs when it is discharged

💭 Think About

• Think about which direction electrons must move to reverse the chemical reaction that occurred during discharge. • Would a constantly reversing current (AC) help build charge, or would it cancel itself out? Why? • Does simply adding more acid restore the original chemical state of the plates, or does something else have to happen?

✅ Before You Answer

• Be clear on the direction of normal discharge current in a lead-acid battery, then think about what “backward” vs “forward” would do to the reaction. • Confirm whether AC provides a net movement of charge in one direction over time for a simple cell. • Recall that proper charging of a lead-acid battery requires controlled DC and does not rely on changing the electrolyte concentration alone.