# If super-strong acids like sulfuric acid could be ingested without harm, would they taste extremely sour?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-super-strong-acids-like-sulfuric-acid-could-be-ingested-without-harm-would-they-taste-extremely-sour/995295>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 28, 2023, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-super-strong-acids-like-sulfuric-acid-could-be-ingested-without-harm-would-they-taste-extremely-sour/995295 "2023-12-28T23:57:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [December 30, 2023, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-super-strong-acids-like-sulfuric-acid-could-be-ingested-without-harm-would-they-taste-extremely-sour/995295/21 "2023-12-30T15:54:33Z")

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Yep; follow the safety precautions, Also wear the safety equipment.

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**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\
**Post date:** [December 30, 2023, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-super-strong-acids-like-sulfuric-acid-could-be-ingested-without-harm-would-they-taste-extremely-sour/995295/22 "2023-12-30T16:04:29Z")

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> [@LSLGuy](#):
>
> Same thing is true abut jump-starting cars.

Wait, what’s this about jumpstarting cars? I’ve probably been doing it wrong for years.

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**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\
**Post date:** [December 30, 2023, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-super-strong-acids-like-sulfuric-acid-could-be-ingested-without-harm-would-they-taste-extremely-sour/995295/23 "2023-12-30T17:06:36Z")

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Connect the positive leads to the positive terminals of both batteries. Connect the ground lead to ONE battery terminal. Make the last connection- the ground lead- to the FRAME of the car, well away from the battery.

The last connection should be made to the “donor” car frame.

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**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\
**Post date:** [December 30, 2023, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-super-strong-acids-like-sulfuric-acid-could-be-ingested-without-harm-would-they-taste-extremely-sour/995295/24 "2023-12-30T17:30:05Z")

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'Zactly. Here’s the why:

The fourth and final connection is the one where arcs / sparks will probably occur. Absent gross operator screw-ups arcs / sparks cannot occur on connections 1-3 since there’s no complete circuit yet.

An arc / spark near either battery is potentially dangerous due to evolved hydrogen gas possibly being present around and inside the battery. But the risk is many times greater at the dead battery than at the live one.

So by making the fourth connection on the donor car and well away from the donor battery you minimize the chances of a hydrogen gas explosion. Which explosion can absolutely shred the battery and spray the entire area, including your face, with concentrated sulfuric acid plus metal and plastic shrapnel. Oops.

Many (most? all?) modern cars actually have dedicated jumping terminals away from the battery for just this reason. There may be a dedicated hot/red terminal or a dedicated black/ground terminal or there may be both. In any case if the recipient car is equipped with jumping terminal(s), use those rather than connecting anything directly to the recipient battery. Best to also use any available jumping terminal(s) on the donor car as well, but the penalty for failure is probably lower.

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