A battery is constructed by placing copper and lead electrodes in contact with 1.0 molar CuSO₄(aq) and Pb(NO₃)₂ (aq) solutions, respectively. If sulfuric acid is then added to the Pb(NO₃)₂ solution, thereby forming a precipitate of PbSO₄, the cell potential will decrease.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Adding sulfuric acid to the Pb(NO3)2 solution forms a precipitate of PbSO4, which reduces the concentration of Pb2+ ions in solution. According to the Nernst equation, decreasing the concentration of the Pb2+ ions increases the reduction potential of the lead electrode, thus potentially increasing the overall cell potential, not decreasing it.

A Battery Is Constructed by Placing Copper and Lead Electrodes