Answer:
It acts as a depolarizer in the dry cell
Step-by-step explanation:
- Simple cells such as dry cells experience two major defects which are a disadvantage over the other cells.
- The two defects are polarization and local action.
- Local action is the "eating away" of the zinc plate which is the negative electrode in a simple cell.
- Polarization, on the other hand, is the formation of hydrogen gas on the positive plate of a simple cell.
- A depolarizer such as manganese dioxide is used to overcome polarization in a simple cell.