The Artifact Compendium

VOLTAGE CARDS:

Resistor: 

Resistors have many uses, but they are usually designed to reduce the current of a circuit. The amount of electrical energy allowed through depends on the specific resistor’s resistance, which can be fixed, or variable. Resistance is measured in a unit called ohms 

A resistor works a bit like the skinny part of an hourglass; imagine the sand inside of the hourglass is an electrical current. Then the neck of the hourglass slows down the sand as it falls, just like a resistor slows the flow of electricity in a circuit! This is really important, because too much electricity in a circuit can sometimes hurt other parts of the circuit like lightbulbs, by causing them to explode.

Playing a resistor card slows down a player’s movement by making them move two less spaces than what they roll on the dice.

Capacitor (passive): 

Capacitors temporarily (need more kid friendly word) store energy, in the form of electrical charge, and can release it quickly and smoothly when needed. The energy stored inside of a capacitor is measured in joules. Capacitors come in many shapes and sizes, and like resistors, have many different uses beyond simply storing energy, however this is a very common one.

A normal battery takes a long time to fill up, and releases energy in more controlled amounts, kind of like a water-gun. A capacitor is like a water balloon. It fills up super quickly, and when it explodes, it releases tons of water super fast! This means that capacitors can release a lot of energy at once, and charge super quickly, making them useful for energy storage.

Playing a capacitor card allows a player to move an extra three spaces by releasing the extra energy held by the capacitor.

Fuse: 

Fuses are electrical components designed to protect circuits from having too much power flow through them. A fuse is a sacrificial component, meaning that its main use is to break. The fuse usually contains a thin metal piece which melts at a certain temperature. If the current in part of a circuit is too high, the temperature rises until it reaches the fuse’s melting point, when the fuse breaks and stops the flow of current in that part of the circuit, so that the rest can function properly. Fuses are important in preventing fires and overheating within a circuit.

A protective fuse is like a drawbridge to a castle. It lowers when people need to cross, just like a fuse allows electricity to flow through it. But if too many people want to go through, the drawbridge will lift up, blocking the flow of people, just like the fuse would block the flow of electricity. After the drawbridge gets old, it can break and must be replaced, and the same goes for a protective fuse after it breaks.

Playing a protective fuse card allows you to steal an opponent's turn and get an extra one, just like how fuses can stop the flow of electric current in part of a circuit so that the rest of the circuit can continue to function.

Integrated Circuit:

An integrated circuit is a very small semiconductor device that has many small components connected together onto one chip. Integrated circuits can perform many different tasks, some simple and some very complex. They are often useful for storing memory and can perform logic operations for the larger devices they are used in, but not all ICs do this. 

An integrated circuit is like the brain of a device. The integrated circuit is made of  tiny components that can process signals or data to control voltage and current, just like a brain telling you what to do! The same way that the brain holds ideas, the integrated circuit holds the logic for the larger device. Because of their size, ICs are helpful in gadgets because they do not take up too much space!

Playing an integrated circuit card allows a player to draw another card, just like an integrated circuit can complete multiple functions with a single chip.

Diode:

A diode is a two-terminal semiconductor that is designed to move current in one direction, restricting backwards flow. Diodes have an anode terminal (a positively charged end) and a cathode terminal (a negatively charged end). When positive voltage is applied to the anode and negative to the cathode, a forward bias is created, moving the current forward. If the positive voltage is applied to the cathode and the negative voltage is applied to the anode, the diode stops the flow of current in the circuit.

A diode works a bit like a see-saw. Diodes direct energy flow in just one direction. But like you can kick up and switch the way seesaws tip, removing a diode means the current can switch the  direction that it flows in! A diode makes it so that electricity can’t go backwards unless the diode is removed, just like a see-saw stays tipped one way or the other until someone kicks off from the ground to change direction.

Playing a diode card causes a player to switch the direction of play, just like how removing a diode from a circuit could potentially cause the direction of current flow to change. 

Short Circuit:

Short circuits occur when part of a circuit with high voltage difference between two points has very low resistance. This causes excessive current flow, which can damage components and the circuit itself, sometimes even causing parts of the circuit to blow. 

Think of electric current like water rushing through a pipe. If the water is running really hard and fast, and the pipe’s walls are not very sturdy, a lot of pressurized water can cause the pipe to be damaged, or even break, causing lots of leaks, or a very large spill. This is similar to how current can damage a circuit or cause fires.

Playing a short circuit card causes a player to lose their turn, similarly to how a short circuit would cause a circuit to stop functioning.

Material from The Art of Electronics by Paul Horowitz and Winfield Hill, 3rd Ed.