Bell work

1. Bell work • Answer the following questions: • How is an airplane flight simulator a kind of model? • What are some advantages to training pilots in a flight simulator rather than in a real airplane? • Write your answers in your science journal-composition book.

2. Models What do you think a model is?

3. Objectives for Today! • Giveexamples of three types of models. • Identifythe benefits and limitations of models. • Comparethe ways that scientists use hypotheses, theories, and laws.

4. What is a Model • A model is a representation of an object or system. • Models often use familiar objects or ideas that stand for other things. • Greeks were the first people known to make models of nature. • They used logic and geometry to explain patterns in nature without resorting to myth or the supernatural. • They sought to understand the architecture of the Universe by constructing models of nature.

5. What is a Model • Keep in mind that models have limitations. • A limitation is how the model is not perfect. • Models are often used to represent things that are very small or very large. Particles of matter are too small to see. • Three major kinds of scientific models are physical, mathematical, and conceptual models.

6. What do you think a… Physical model is? Mathematical model is? Conceptual model is?

7. Objectives for Today! • Giveexamples of three types of models. • Identifythe benefits and limitations of models. • Comparethe ways that scientists use hypotheses, theories, and laws.

8. Physical Models • Model airplanes, maps, and dolls are physical models. • Physical models of systems that can be easily observed and manipulated. • Have characteristics similar to key features of more complex systems in the real world. • A limitation of a doll as the model of a baby is that the doll doesn't act like a baby. • Give an example of a physical model. • What are some limitations?

9. Physical models

10. Mathematical Model • A mathematical model is made up of mathematical equations and data. • Simple mathematical models allow you to calculate things such as how far a car will go in an hour. • Other models are so complex that only computers can handle them. • Involve solving relevant equation (s) of a system or characterizing a system based upon its statistical parameters such as mean, mode, variance or regression coefficients. • Using the most correct data does not make the prediction correct, this is a limitation. • A change in a variable that was not predicted could cause the model to fail. • Give an example of a mathematical model.

11. Mathematical Model: A Punnett Square • The Punnett square helps scientists study the passing of traits from parents to offspring.

13. Conceptual Model • The third kind of model is a conceptual model. • Some conceptual models are systems of ideas. • Others are based on making comparisons with familiar things to help illustrate or explain an idea. • One example of a conceptual model is the system that scientists use to classify living things. By using a system of ideas, scientists can group living things by what they have in common. This type of model allows scientists to better understand each group of living things.

14. Conceptual Model • People receive information, process this information, and respond accordingly many times each day. • This sort of processing of information is essentially a conceptual model (or mental model) of how things in our surrounding environment work. • Give an example of a Conceptual model.

15. Conceptual models • Universe-everything • Galaxies- billions of stars grouped together • Systems- 1 star and it’s orbiting bodies • Planet • Comets • Asteroids

16. Objectives for Today! • Giveexamples of three types of models. • Identifythe benefits and limitations of models. • Comparethe ways that scientists use hypotheses, theories, and laws.

17. What do you think a… Theory is? Law is?

18. What is a Theory? • Models are often used to help illustrate and explain scientific theories. • A theory is a unifying explanation for a range of hypotheses and observations that have been supported by testing. (Definition copy as is!) • A theory not only can explain an observation you've made but also can predict what might happen in the future. • Keep in mind that models can be changed or replaced. • These changes happen because new observations cause scientists to change their theories.

19. Can you think of a theory you have heard of? Big Bang Relativity Worm holes Why are these theories?

20. What is a Law? • What happens when a theory and its models correctly predict the results of many different experiments? A scientific law could be formed. • A law is a summary of many experimental results and observations. • A law tells you how things work. • A law tells you to expect the same thing to happen every time.

21. Can you think of a Scientific law? Law of gravity Law of Conservation of Energy Laws of motion Why are these laws and not theories?

22. Objectives for Today! • Giveexamples of three types of models. • Identifythe benefits and limitations of models. • Comparethe ways that scientists use hypotheses, theories, and laws.