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Globe Showing Europe Africa

Unit 1 - Foundations Of Environmental Systems & Societies

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Herb

Unit 2 - Ecosystems & Ecology

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Flexed Biceps

Unit 3 - Biodiversity & Conservation

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Writing Hand

Unit 4 -Water & Aquatic Food Production Systems & Societies

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Deciduous Tree

Unit 5 - Soil Systems & Terrestrial Food Production Systems & Societies

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Cloud

Unit 6 - Atmospheric Systems & Societies

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Thermometer

Unit 7 - Climate Change & Energy Production

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Briefcase

Unit 8 - Human Systems & Resource Use

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Bar-Chart

Internal Assessment

Hey there, budding environmental scientist! Let&#39;s delve into the exciting world of models and how they help us understand our complex world, and yes, they have their quirks too.

Models are like the CliffNotes of our natural systems. While they can&#39;t capture every single detail, they&#39;re pretty darn good at showing us the big picture, highlighting the main points and helping us make sense of the complexity. Imagine trying to predict tomorrow&#39;s weather without models &ndash; it would be like trying to guess the winner of the next World Cup!

Models are like your favourite videogame cheats. They make complex tasks simpler, faster, and even predict outcomes! Let&#39;s break it down:

<ol>
	<li>
	Prediction and Simplification: Models are great at simplifying and predicting complex systems. For example, traffic models help predict which routes would be busiest at what times. Imagine getting to skip rush hour traffic because a model told you so!
	</li>
	<li>
	Instantaneous Changes and Observations: Models let you change inputs and see the outcomes immediately. It&#39;s like fast-forwarding a plant&#39;s growth in a game instead of waiting weeks for it to grow in your garden.
	</li>
	<li>
	Knowledge Sharing: Models help share results with others in a simpler way. Think of it like showing your friends a map of a video game dungeon instead of describing every twist and turn.
	</li>
</ol>

Like every superhero with their own set of weaknesses, models have limitations too:

<ol>
	<li>
	Different Results, Same Data: Different models might give different outcomes using the same data. For instance, think about weather apps; you might&#39;ve noticed how different apps sometimes give varying predictions for the same day&#39;s weather. That&#39;s due to differing models.
	</li>
	<li>
	Accuracy and Complexity: Models can oversimplify complex systems and therefore lose accuracy. Our planet&#39;s atmospheric system, for instance, is like a 1000-piece puzzle, and models might only use a fraction of those pieces. Hence, they might not always get the complete picture right.
	</li>
	<li>
	Assumptions and Errors: Models often rely on assumptions about complex factors, which could result in inaccuracies. Let&#39;s say a model predicting the growth of a forest might assume that the soil nutrients and weather stay the same, but we all know Mother Nature isn&#39;t always that predictable!
	</li>
	<li>
	Criticism due to Complexity and Oversimplification: Some people critique models, especially climate models, due to their limitations. It&#39;s a bit like a game with poor graphics: it does the job, but not everyone&#39;s satisfied with the simplified version of reality.
	</li>
</ol>

So there you have it! Models are vital tools for understanding and predicting environmental systems. Despite their limitations, they play an essential role in scientific study and our daily lives. Remember, they&#39;re not perfect, but neither is your favourite videogame, yet you still love it, right?

Unraveling Eco Models: Secrets & Snags

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Standard Level

Environmental Systems & Societies SL

Unit 1 - Foundations Of Environmental Systems & Societies

Unraveling Eco Models: Secrets & Snags

Table of content

Models - What's the deal?

Unlock the Full Content!

Unit 1 - Foundations Of Environmental Systems & Societies

Unraveling Eco Models: Secrets & Snags

Table of content

Models - What's the deal?

Unlock the Full Content!