Batteries are used in everyday appliances to provide a more convenient and easier lifestyle. A common battery, lead-acid batteries, are created for low-cost and reliable energy sources. Unfortunately, the batteries are disposed of after usage leading to many tons of acidic waste every year. The components of lead-acid batteries consist of sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and will need to be neutralized to be disposed of safely. In this lab, you are needing to determine the concentration of sulfuric acid in a lead-acid battery. You will be working with concentrated hydrochloric acid as a standard, solid potassium hydroxide, and a sample of the lead-acid battery. Consider the following unbalanced chemical equation for the neutralization of sulfuric acid:
H2SO4 (aq) + KOH (aq) → H2O (l) + K2SO4 (aq)
Your goal is to determine the concentration of sulfuric acid, provide a procedure to neutralize the acid with a base. And prevent environmental pollution.