Definition

Noun: A lead-acid battery is a type of rechargeable battery that uses lead and lead dioxide as electrodes and a diluted sulfuric acid solution as the electrolyte. It is a common technology where each individual cell produces approximately 2 volts of electrical potential.

Usage

This term is used to describe a specific, widely-used technology for electrical energy storage. It is most commonly applied in contexts involving vehicles, backup power systems, and industrial applications. - It functions as a countable noun (e.g., a lead-acid battery, several lead-acid batteries).

Examples

• Noun:
  • The car's starter motor is powered by a 12-volt lead-acid battery.
  • For off-grid solar systems, deep-cycle lead-acid batteries are often used for energy storage.
  • Recycling old lead-acid batteries is important for environmental safety.

Advanced Usage

• Technical Context: In engineering and chemistry, the term precisely denotes the electrochemical system based on the reaction between lead, lead dioxide, and sulfuric acid.
  • The discharge reaction in a lead-acid battery converts lead and lead dioxide into lead sulfate.

Variants and Related Words

• Lead-acid accumulator: A less common synonym, using "accumulator," another term for a rechargeable battery.
• SLI battery (Starting, Lighting, Ignition): A common type of lead-acid battery designed primarily for automotive starting.
• Deep-cycle battery: A type of lead-acid battery designed for prolonged, steady discharge rather than short, high-current bursts.
• VRLA battery (Valve-Regulated Lead-Acid): A sealed, maintenance-free version of the lead-acid battery.

Synonyms

• Storage battery (a general term for rechargeable batteries, which includes but is not specific to lead-acid types).
• Wet cell battery (describes batteries with a liquid electrolyte, which includes traditional lead-acid batteries).

Related Phrases/Compounds

• Lead-acid battery charger: A device specifically designed to safely recharge this type of battery.
• Lead-acid battery recycling: The industrial process of recovering materials from spent batteries.

Noun

1. a battery with lead electrodes with dilute sulphuric acid as the electrolyte; each cell generates about 2 volts