The Science of

There’s been a fire. Investigate the burn patterns and figure out where the fire started and how.

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The Science of

Fire safety is a complex problem without a single answer. Learn how to engineer and design fire-safe spaces.

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The Science of

Safe and sustainable cities will depend on lithium-ion batteries to power our modern lives. But what are the costs?

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The Science of

Lithium-ion batteries in your favorite devices make our daily lives possible, but they also come with risks. Join the search for safer solutions.

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touch_app Interactive

Solve the Scenario

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.

When you’re done, enter your name here: Submit your answers using one of these options:

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1. Make a claim

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

2. Support your claim with evidence

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

3. Provide reasoning

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

Context

In the Science of Thermal Runaway you learned what kinds of behaviors might cause thermal runaway in the Lithium-ion batteries. In this interactive solve the scenario from the opening scene. Build your argument using the clues in the scene above, the information you’ve collected in your exploration, and the knowledge you have gained.

Explore this interactive to help identify: What caused thermal runaway in this scenario?

Be sure to explore The Science of Thermal Runaway Pathway that supports this resource

The Science of

The Science of

The Science of

The Science of

touch_app Interactive

Solve the Scenario

Context

Related Resources

Thermal Runaway: Student Guide

Thermal Runaway: Teacher Guides

Intro to Thermal Runaway