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Solve the Scenario

This is the box that the e-scooter was packaged in. Before arriving in this household, the scooter was shipped from a manufacturer to a store, and eventually transported to this home.

This room is full of nearby lithium-ion powered devices.

The electric scooter is plugged into the wall outlet.

With so many devices comes an array of chargers. How can you be certain the scooter was plugged in with the right one?

This radiator is a heat source for the room. Consider the amount of thermal energy that is coming from here and its proximity to the scooter.

Your turn

What do you think caused the thermal runaway in this scenario? How do you think this could have been prevented? What information do you have that supports these claims?

Build your argument using the clues in the scene below, the information you’ve collected in your exploration, and the knowledge you have gained about how products are designed to prevent thermal runaway.

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What do you think was the most probable cause of the thermal runaway?

Choose the best answer:

Physical damage to the electric scooter
Overcharging the electric scooter
Overheating the electric scooter
Something else

Describe what you see in the room that supports your claim.

Use scientific knowledge you learned during the Science of Thermal Runaway Pathway to explain how the evidence supports your claim. Consider using terms like:

  • Lithium-ion battery
  • Separator
  • Circuit
  • Energy source
  • Conductor
  • Load
  • Short circuit
  • Voltage
  • Temperature
  • Thermal energy
  • Electrochemical energy
Find this resource
Pathway
The Science of Thermal Runaway
Chapter
Solve the scenario
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