Battery (All): Terminology: Charging
WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2002 Volvo C70, 2001 Volvo C70, 2000 Volvo C70, 1999 Volvo C70, and 1998 Volvo C70. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
The process by which a battery is supplied with energy by a charger or the generator (GEN) in the car. During charging, the lead sulfate in the plates is converted back to pure lead on the negative plates and to lead oxide on the positive plate. Water is consumed, sulfuric acid is formed and the density of the acid increases.
This reaction can be written:
2 PbSO4 + 2 H2 O → PbO2 + Pb + 2 H2 SO4