unit 2 lesson 3 models and simulations. to be a model scientist … use models! copyright ©...

Unit 2 Lesson 3 Models and Simulations

To Be a Model Scientist … Use Models!

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

Why do scientists use models and simulations?• Models and simulations help scientists understand

the world around them.

• A scientific model shows the structure of an object, a system, or a concept.

• Simulations use models to imitate the function, behavior, or process of whatever the models represent.



Why do scientists use models and simulations?

• A difficult question is a question that cannot be answered by direct observation.

• Models and simulations can help answer difficult questions.

• Scientists use models to represent complex systems made up of many interacting parts.

• Data from simulations on a model building can help to produce an earthquake-resistant building design.



Why do scientists use models and simulations?

• Modeling can separate good ideas from ideas that will never be developed.

• Models are used to make predictions that affect our everyday lives.

• Models are used to predict the weather, the path of storms, and solar activity.


It’s a Matter of Scale


What are some types of physical models?

• A physical model represents the physical structure of an object or a system.

• Physical models often look and act like the object or system they represent.

• Scale is the relationship between the model’s measurements and the real object’s measurements.



What are some types of physical models?

• Models can be made to scale or life-sized.

• Scaled models are helpful for studying things too big or too small to study at their true size.

• A life-sized model is the same size as the real object it represents.

• These are useful for learning about human organs or fossils that are difficult to study in the natural world.


What are some advantages and disadvantages of physical models?

• Physical models are often easier and less dangerous to work with than the objects they represent.

• Flight simulators on the ground train pilots to fly safely.

• Many physical models have limitations and do not behave exactly like the real thing would behave in its natural environment.



It’s All in the Numbers


What are some types of mathematical models?

• A mathematical model uses different forms of data to represent the way a system or process works.

• Mathematical models are made up of numbers and equations and are often used to predict future trends.

• Based on past data, populations tend to grow at a faster and faster rate. Such growth is called exponential.



What are some types of mathematical models?

• Chemical symbols from the periodic table are used to represent atoms in a chemical formula.

• The subscript shows how many of each atom are in a molecule. O2 = 2 Oxygen.

• The coefficient represents how many molecules there are.

• 6CO2 represents 6 carbon dioxide molecules.


What are some advantages and disadvantages of mathematical models?

• Mathematical models are useful in making predictions.

• Computers are often essential when using mathematical models because they can process many variables quickly without human errors.




• Mathematical models are based on current data and might not be useful in the future.

• They sometimes exclude variables that might not have seemed important.

• Sometimes systems are too large and too complex for mathematical modeling. Oversimplifying can cause to misleading results.




• How could this graph be used to predict sunspot activity in 2020?



It’s Kind of Abstract


What are some characteristics of conceptual models?

• A conceptual model is a representation of how parts of a system are related or organized.

• A conceptual model can help predict the effect that changing one part of a system will have on the whole system.

• Conceptual models are also useful in identifying patterns and similarities for classifications.




• Conceptual models are often used to represent processes that cannot be directly observed, like the rock cycle.




• Conceptual models may not be able to take certain data or ideas into account.

• Models can be oversimplified and may not be a true representation of the complex relationships that exist in a system.

• This can lead to misconceptions and incomplete predictions.



How are simulations used?

• Simulations can test designs in a controlled environment.

• Complex technologies can be tested in a variety of environments before they are put to use, such as the Mars Exploration Rovers.

• During testing, design flaws can be found and corrected.



How are simulations used?

• Simulations can prevent costly and dangerous errors in design.

• Simulations can also predict future events.

• Astronauts train in an underwater environment that simulates the weightlessness of space.


unit 2 lesson 3 models and simulations. to be a model scientist … use models! copyright ©...

Documents

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