Earth Science Daily Challenge, 9/17

1. Earth Science Daily Challenge, 9/17 What is a MODEL?Give at least 4 different examples of models in complete sentences.

2. MODELS • are representations of real objects, systems, or ideas. • Scientific models can be classified into three categories… • Physical • Mathematical • Conceptual

3. PHYSICAL MODELS • can be touched, manipulated, etc. • often “scaled” to the real thing • usually used to explain or describe things, to help visualize • Examples • human body plastic torso • model planes, cars, rockets • solar system model

4. MATHEMATICAL MODELS • mathematical equations that describe the behavior of a system • often used to predict what will happen if… • also called “computer models” • Examples • weather forecasting models • astronomy models

5. CONCEPTUAL MODELS • organized ideas about how something works • used to understand something • Examples • how gravity works • blueprints for a building • Earth is made of layers – crust, mantle, core • how the solar system moves

6. Why use MODELS? • Real things might be too big, too small, too complicated, too far away, etc. to study directly! • Scientific models can… • help explain how things work • help people visualize things • make predictions - what will happen? • Models are limited… • only as good as the data that went into creating them, must be TESTED

7. Earth Science Daily Challenge, 9/20 List as many branches of science as you can think of in 2 minutes and briefly explain what each one is... For example, Physics - the study of matter and energyWhat are some others? HINT: (think of “–ologies”)