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Questions and Answers
What is the less familiar way in which a scientist can work out what is real when our five senses cannot detect it directly?
What is the less familiar way in which a scientist can work out what is real when our five senses cannot detect it directly?
Through the use of a 'model' of what might be going on, which can be tested.
How do scientists predict what they ought to see or hear if the model were true?
How do scientists predict what they ought to see or hear if the model were true?
They work out what they ought to see, hear, etc. by doing mathematical calculations or using measuring instruments.
What happens if the predictions based on the model are correct?
What happens if the predictions based on the model are correct?
It increases their confidence that the model represents reality.
What do scientists do if their predictions based on the model are wrong?
What do scientists do if their predictions based on the model are wrong?
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What is an example of how scientists have used models to understand something that cannot be directly seen?
What is an example of how scientists have used models to understand something that cannot be directly seen?
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Who conducted experiments with peas in the nineteenth century?
Who conducted experiments with peas in the nineteenth century?
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What did Mendel use to count different types of peas?
What did Mendel use to count different types of peas?
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What did Mendel predict would be the ratio of smooth peas to wrinkly peas in a breeding experiment?
What did Mendel predict would be the ratio of smooth peas to wrinkly peas in a breeding experiment?
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What did Watson and Crick do to discover the structure of DNA?
What did Watson and Crick do to discover the structure of DNA?
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How did Watson and Crick confirm the structure of DNA proposed in their double helix model?
How did Watson and Crick confirm the structure of DNA proposed in their double helix model?
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Study Notes
Understanding Scientific Models
- Scientists utilize models to infer realities that are not detectable by human senses, such as microscopic organisms or atomic structures.
- Predictions are made based on these models, outlining expected observations or data outcomes that would confirm the model’s validity.
Predictions and Outcomes
- When predictions align with observed results, it strengthens confidence in the model and its theoretical foundations.
- If predictions do not match actual outcomes, scientists reformulate the model or adjust hypotheses, emphasizing the iterative nature of scientific inquiry.
Historical Example: Mendelian Genetics
- Gregor Mendel conducted significant experiments with pea plants in the nineteenth century, pioneering the study of heredity.
- He meticulously counted different varieties of peas, analyzing traits such as smoothness and wrinkliness, to derive genetic principles.
- Mendel predicted a 3:1 ratio of smooth to wrinkly peas in his offspring during breeding experiments based on dominant and recessive traits.
Discoveries in Molecular Biology
- James Watson and Francis Crick analyzed existing data and utilized models based on chemical behavior to propose the double helix structure of DNA.
- To confirm their model, they employed X-ray crystallography images produced by Rosalind Franklin, validating their hypothesis regarding the DNA structure.
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Description
Test your knowledge on scientific modeling and testing methods used by scientists to understand phenomena that are not directly detectable by our senses. Explore how models are created, tested, and validated through mathematical calculations and measurements.
