What happens to the chemical energy of a lithium-ion battery as it is discharged to power a laptop computer? Does it increase, decrease, or remain unchanged?

Decrease

Explanation:

When the LI-ion battery discharges to power a laptop or computer the charges flow in the opposite direction, i. e., Li-ion moves to the positive electrode and generates energy for powering the laptop.

This happens in accordance to the law of conservation of energy as per which we can neither create nor destroy energy all that can be done is the transformation of this energy into interchangeable forms.

Here, the Chemical energy of the Li-ion battery while powering the laptop changes into electrical energy in order to charge the laptop and hence the is a decrease in the chemical potential energy of the battery as it discharges.