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Inside the Machine G3 to G5 / Week 06 / Crew Quest
6/6
Week 06 · Power and heat

Crew Quest

Crew Quest: The Power Map
// From the wall to the warm little fan
⏱ about 15 min

Crew Quest: The Power Map

Rocket unrolls a long sheet of paper on the bay floor. "Let's map every device at Beacon Station!" he says. "Battery, plug, or both?"

Raven holds a pencil. "What do you notice? Some things never move, and some things never stop moving."

Nova hovers above the paper. "Would you like a hint? Things that move need a battery. Things that stay put can use a plug." The crew starts drawing.

  1. Every part needs electricity. It comes from a wall outlet through a power supply, or from a battery.
  2. A charger fills a battery. Batteries wear slowly over years, and that is normal.
  3. Working parts make heat. The processor makes the most.
  4. Fans and vents carry heat away. Soft surfaces and dust block the path.
  5. Kids read the charge, look for the light and keep vents clear. Grown-ups handle plugs, chargers, batteries and cleaning.
◇ THE POWER MAP
You need a big sheet of paper, a pencil and a grown-up.
Walk through your home together. Look at each device from a safe distance.
Write its name on the map. Mark B for battery, P for plug, or both.
Mark a small V next to anything that has vents you can see.
Count the totals. Which is bigger, the battery list or the plug list?
Together, pick one device and gently feel its case after use. Warm or cool?
Safety first
Look only. Do not touch plugs, chargers, outlets or batteries.
Feel a device only on its case, with a grown-up. Stop if it is more than warm.
If anything feels too hot to touch, step back and tell your grown-up.
For a grown-up
Walk with the mapper and name anything they are unsure about.
Talk about why things that move use batteries. Things that stay put can use plugs.
MAP REVIEW
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
A wireless mouse moves around all day. What does it most likely use?
A desk computer stays in one spot. Where does its power come from?
A device feels too hot to touch. What should a mapper do?
StatementTrue or false?
A mapper may unplug a device to see its label.?
A laptop can use both a battery and a plug.?
A V on the map marks a device with vents.?
WHY THIS EXERCISEMapping power at home shows the system around every device. Doing it safely is part of the job.

You finished week six! Next week the crew turns on the software and meets the operating system.

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