Sunday, January 27, 2008
Models and their Necessity
A model is a pattern, plan, representation (especially in miniature), or description designed to show the main object or workings of an object, system, or concept. I got this one off of Wikipedia. This website on models and simulations gave me a general idea of why we use models. It told me that we use models to see error in our thinking and planning. Like the twins baseball stadium, as Mandy said, the archtitects made the model and realized that there were some problems with the plan. Things didn't work the way they figured, and the model helped them realize that problem. And the website I rooted up creates model simulations to help them see the things they need to know in making the planes work properly. Models also in my opinion help us understand concepts too vast for us to comprehend. As Madelyn said in her post, the tectonic plates' movements are hard to understand, and a perfect model to help us understand it would be a lava lamp. The goo (lava) is warmed by the heater (earth's core, millions of degrees C), and expands and decreases in density, and rises, which exposes it to cool air/water/earth, which makes it more dense and it falls. And models of molecules help us understand the configuration of the atoms in the molecule. A model of this would be the balloons we saw in class. And also a model of Carbon in diamond form, shown to us by Mr. Endres last year. So the reason we need models is this: We use them to help comprehend things too hard to grasp, and use them to see error in archtitecture, to see things we could not see without the use of models. More blogging will come as I think and read.
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8 comments:
Troyboy, I liked your very first statement that identified models as a wide range of things from patterns to thought processes. I think this is important for us to remember if we are truly going to appreciate the use of models in our everyday lives.
You did a great job of explaining exactly how we can use models to help us with a veriety of things from architecture to school. Also I liked that you talked about using models to help us make complicating things less complicated. You are so right about how models help us learn about otherwise complicated subjects, such as atomic structure. I am excited to see what else you will add onto it. keep on blogging
Good post, I forgot to look up models so, now i don't have to. I like what you say about models being able to point out the flaws of the real-deal.
The lava-lamp example was cool but the Earths crust is nowhere near "millions of degrees celsius". you are mis-informed
Hey Troy when you said "use them to see error in architecture, to see things we could not see without the use of models." That is what my reasoning is for why we use models.
I don't think that you should say tyhat they are used to see error in architecture, you shoud say that it is used to find error in all things that were previously untested
I thing your right about how models make things less complicated. If you check out kyle's blog you'll see that he mentioned stuff about how children look at picture books before reading because it's easier to understand something that you are looking rather than seeing a word that is suppose to symbolize the same thing.
i like how you pointed out that they show error. i didnt think about that. nice job :)
Subbu, I was exaggerating to get the point across. Jk, I thought it was around that area, but I guess I am wrong. And Joe, you are right, I meant to say that the models find error in the PLAN of the archtitecture. Smeber, I'll check that out in a bit. And by the way, who won the Pokemon tournament on the bus? I suppose you dominated;)
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