electrolyte acid
- noun
- /ɪˈlɛktrəˌlaɪt ˈæsɪd/
- Specialized
:
ácido electrolítico
- Be careful when handling electrolyte acid from a car battery, as it can cause burns.
Examples
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Old batteries often lose power because their electrolyte acid diminishes over time.
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The spilled electrolyte acid needed to be neutralized and cleaned up immediately.
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The battery contains electrolyte acid for efficient operation.
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Do you know how electrolyte acid works in batteries?
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When testing a car battery, ensure you wear gloves to protect yourself from electrolyte acid, which can be hazardous.
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An old car battery may fail to charge properly if its electrolyte acid level is too low.
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Workers at the battery plant must be trained to safely handle electrolyte acid to avoid injuries.
Synonyms
11
4.2
A very strong liquid that can burn skin and metal used in factories and labs
4
5.8
A strong, dangerous liquid in car batteries that can burn skin
How Acidic
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is compositionally built: it refers to an acid that functions as an electrolyte (a conductive ionic solution), so the overall meaning follows directly from combining 'electrolyte' and 'acid'. A B1 learner who knows both constituent words can reasonably infer it denotes the acid used as the electrolyte in batteries, so the expression is transparently derivable.
Etymology
Electrolyte acid is named for what it does in a battery: the word electrolyte means a liquid that carries electric charge and acid shows it is an acidic liquid. In car and storage batteries this dilute sulfuric acid sits between the metal plates and lets electricity flow, so the name means it is the acid that acts as the 'electrolyte'.