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| OBJECT | To describe some phenomenon in the "Real World" such as a falling rock, the melting of ice, or the structure of an atom |
| PIECES | Measurable quantities such as Energy, Mass, Velocity, Time, Force, Pressure, Density, Charge, Temperature, etc. |
| RULES | Mathematics and Logic |
| GAME BOARD | The squares of Nature's game-board are observable processes. |
| THE PLAY | Making Predictions. (Problem Solving - Homework) |
| MOVES | Interacting with Nature - Measurement and Experimenting |
| WIN | When measurements match predictions. (Answers match those of the teacher.) |
| STRATEGIES | The Laws, Theories, and Principles of Physics such as Newton's Law of Motion, Einstein's Theory of Relativity, or the Principle of the Conservation of Energy |
* Games like Monopoly are patterned on the "Real World" and reflect it to some degree. A scientific model and a board-game are similar in that both imitate the "Real World" using a fixed set of rules by which the model/game is to be played.
* Playing the Game of Science typically involves making predictions associated with some phenomenon in Nature. Moves are executed when one makes observations about the phenomenon. The outcome of this "roll of the dice" is the resulting value obtained when a "game piece" such as energy is measured.
* In science, the validity of a model is established by the predictions it makes and not on how it makes sense or is fun to play. One wins the Game of Science when measurements check with predictions to the accuracy of the instruments used to measure the predictions.
* Science assumes that mathematics and logic are fundamental to the description of the order by which Nature operates. As a result, all scientific models are always mathematical at their most basic. It is this aspect of the Game of Science that sets scientific representations of Nature apart from other descriptions, such as religion.
* The mathematical dependency of all Models in Science has one powerful advantage, the various rules of algebra, trigonometry, etc., can be applied to manipulate the game pieces (such as energy and time) to make unambiguous predictions about other game pieces which can be checked out by measurements. When the predictions do not match, its time to find a new game/model to play if you want your model to be in harmony with reality.