🔍 Key Concepts
• Sulfation in lead-acid batteries and how it affects the plates
• Relationship between internal resistance, voltage at the terminals, and power output (P = V × I)
• How battery deterioration shows up in practical use on board (starting motors, running electronics)
💭 Think About
• If sulfate crystals build up on the plates, what happens to the effective plate area that can participate in the chemical reaction?
• When internal resistance increases in a battery, what happens to terminal voltage under load and the power the battery can deliver?
• When you try to start an engine with a badly sulfated battery, what symptoms would you expect to see in terms of cranking speed and voltage drop?
✅ Before You Answer
• Review how internal resistance affects both terminal voltage under load and available current
• Connect changes in terminal voltage and current to their effect on power output (P = V × I)
• Ask whether sulfation causes only one of these effects or whether it logically causes all of them at the same time