Lead dioxide, on the other hand, is highly electronegative, preferring to absorb electrons in chemical reactions.

ECONOMIST: Einstein and car batteries

That makes lead dioxide much more electronegative than classical theory would predict.

ECONOMIST: Einstein and car batteries

That has the effect of making metallic lead less electropositive (ie, more electronegative) than classical theory indicates it should be which would tend to make the battery worse.

ECONOMIST: Einstein and car batteries

However, although the properties of these basic chemical reactions have been measured and understood to the nth degree, no one has been able to show from first principles exactly why lead and lead dioxide tend to be so electropositive and electronegative.

ECONOMIST: Einstein and car batteries