Final answer:
a) Sulphuric acid The electrolyte that causes an electrochemical reaction with the lead cells in a lead-acid car battery is sulfuric acid. It facilitates the necessary chemical reactions for the battery's discharge and recharge cycles.
Step-by-step explanation:
In a lead-acid car battery, the electrolyte that causes an electrochemical reaction with the lead cells is sulfuric acid. Lead-acid batteries, such as those used in cars, are composed of multiple electrochemical cells.
Each cell has both an anode and a cathode immersed in an aqueous solution of sulfuric acid, which serves as the electrolyte.
During the discharge process, chemical reactions separate charge within the battery, sending negative charge to the anode, which is connected to the lead plates, and also to the cathode terminal connected to the lead oxide plates.
This sulfuric acid not only conducts the charge but also participates in the chemical reactions that occur during the battery's discharge and recharge cycles.
Therefore, the correct answer to the question is a) Sulphuric acid.
The electrochemical reactions in the lead-acid battery allow it to be discharged and recharged many times, which is a hallmark of this battery's high-capacity nature. A typical 12 V car battery contains six cells connected in series, each providing about 2 V to yield a total of 12 V.