What is Modeling: Definition and 607 Discussions

A model is an informative representation of an object, person or system. The term originally denoted the plans of a building in late 16th-century English, and derived via French and Italian ultimately from Latin modulus, a measure.
Representational models can be broadly divided into the concrete (e.g. physical form) and the abstract (e.g. behavioural patterns, especially as expressed in mathematical form). Of particular importance in the modern context, conceptual models are central to philosophy of science, as almost every scientific theory effectively embeds some kind of model of the physical or human sphere.
In commerce, a model might instead reference a specific version or configuration of a product offering, rather than functioning as a representation of something else.
In taxonomic settings (e.g. biology, architecture, art) a model is sometimes a particular instance of a set of related entities (species, built structures, artistic compositions) chosen as a convenient reference point around which to build discourse; such a model is almost always chosen to typify some central tendency of the group, exemplify the group's defining characteristic, or reify the group's historical lineage.
Kinds of models include:

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  1. N

    Modeling Population Growth [dP/dt = k P - A P2 - h]

    Does anyone know how to solve dP/dt = k P - A P2 - h for P. I understand partial fractions are needed and I have already solved dP/dt = k P - A P2. Is anyone able to solve it, Cheers NZBRU.
  2. V

    Modeling a mass-spring-damper system

    Homework Statement Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution This is one of our past homework assignments with the solution given to us. I'm trying to work my way through each part of this assignment but am getting stuck on a few aspects of the model. My approach: I first set up a...
  3. C

    Determining Spring Configuration in Modeling

    Homework Statement Consider a simply supported beam with a block of mass m placed at the midspan and a spring with spring rate k placed between the beam and the ground at the midspan. Find the spring rate required to reduce the static deflection to one half its original value before the...
  4. C

    Systems Modeling DE Review

    Hi all, I'm taking a systems modeling class and as such a portion of the class consists of a differential equations review, mostly centered around Laplace transforms and some functions I've never had to deal with before so I was hoping for a bit of help if you'd all be so obliged! I have quite a...
  5. C

    Molecular Modeling: Does a proline chain fold or tangle up?

    It's probably a stupid question but is it possible to attach a long proline chain - 8 or more residues - at the C terminal of a protein and have it connect to another protein and not affect folding? It's for a project and it's not actually necessary but I have to make a protein that binds to an...
  6. R

    Modeling Atmospheric Re-entry & Determing Optimal Re-entry Parameters

    I'm taking a course in adaptive neural networks and became interested in trying to see if I can use neural networks to find the optimum values for the control parameters in atmospheric re-entry in order to reach a specified target on Earth. I've come across a paper that discusses this and goes...
  7. D

    Piezo material modeling in Abaqus

    Homework Statement I am trying to enter the strain and stress properties of a piezoelectric material, I only have d31 and e33 constant with no dielectric constant. I don't know how or where to enter these values in Abaqus since it ask for a Matrix. Homework Equations The Attempt at a...
  8. B

    Modeling a tossed turkey leg (angular momentum)

    Homework Statement Imagine that you toss the drumstick of a turkey to your friend across a table. Approximate the leg as a baton consisting of two equal masses connected by a stiff spring. Let the masses, m and M, each equal 0.1 kg (we’ll modify this assumption later) and connect them with a...
  9. B

    Modeling a binary star system

    I am tasked with modeling a binary star system using VPython. The language itself is relatively irrelevant, as I can deal with the syntax. My problem is with the logic of it and how I should go about structuring the necessary calculations. Homework Statement A binary star system consists of...
  10. H

    Piecewise Linear Modeling (diode)

    Homework Statement A pn junction diode is connected to a Thevenin circuit consisting of a 0-to-1V, 1kHz square wave and 1kΩ resistor. Use piecewise linear modeling to estimate the diode voltage for the low (0V), and high (1V) states of the voltage source. Assume the diode to have an...
  11. G

    MATLAB Modeling an Intersection with Rules for Traffic Flow in MATLAB

    Hi, I am trying to model an intersection using different rules but I am having a hard time getting the thing to work in the simplest stage. I know there is probably an easier way to do this but I am trying to do it this way: clear grid=zeros(10,10); %grid creation grid2=zeros(10,10)...
  12. B

    Need a shopping list for building up a desktop for economic modeling

    Hi everyone, I am thinking of building up a new system to satisfy my need in scientific computing. My program usually involves with for-loop iterations written in Intel Visual Fortran 2013 on Microsoft Visual Studio 2010. Some of my work need to perform numerical methods, like Amoeba...
  13. S

    Geometry Question - Modeling bolt with flange end

    Geometry Question -- Modeling bolt with flange end Homework Statement Hi I attached a picture of bolt call ed hollo bolt, in which the sleeves open when the cone pushed inside,, if i Know all the dimensions, I ask an expert and he tell me that However, the difficulty is...
  14. N

    Molecular Modeling and Simulations

    Hi all, I am currently a junior in chemical engineering and want to go to graduate school for it. I am extremely interested in the materials side of renewable energy. To make a long story short, I don't enjoy being in the lab much but really do enjoy thinking about it, researching, and...
  15. B

    Modeling oscilations in Excel

    Homework Statement You have a car going over a speed bump, you need to model the oscillation of the car using excel only (no MATLAB or other software) Simple Schematics: |Mass of car| | | Spring Damper | | \...
  16. A

    Modeling with Differential Equations

    Homework Statement A falling body of mass m, encounters air resistance proportional to its instantaneous velocity, v. Use Newton's second law to find the DE for the velocity, v at time, t. Homework Equations I've been reading this section quite a bit and am still not getting it! I'd...
  17. C

    Silica gel polymerisation modeling

    what could be the use of modeling the silica gel polymerisation from silicic acid? Does it have any importance in the energy sector? i mean where would the result of such a work be useful? i need to know this answer URGENTLY
  18. J

    Modeling Wave Dynamics in a Cylinder on a Fulcrum

    Suppose I have a cylinder on a fulcrum that is filled half way with a fluid, how would I model the waves in the cylinder if it were put in motion?
  19. E

    PN junction - advanced modeling

    Hello, let's start with a standard question: 1) A silicon diode has been characterized and as result we have a built-in potential of 0.53 V and a zero-bias capacitance of 1.3 mF/m^2. Assuming an abrupt junction (the measured grading coefficient is 0.5!) what are the respective doping levels...
  20. R

    Physics modeling for sky lantern

    Homework Statement What is the best physics modeling for the motion of sky lantern? can I assume that the temperature in the lantern same in every place so that the air density is same too? Homework Equations The Attempt at a SolutionHomework Statement Homework Equations The Attempt at a...
  21. Z

    Solving Three-Tank System Modeled by ODEs

    Consider a three-tank system modeled by the equations: x_1' = -5x_1+5x_3 x_2' = 5x_1-2x_2 x_3' = 2x_2-5x_3 (A) Initially there are 10 pounds of grain in each tank. What will the amounts be as t \rightarrow \infty? (B) Solve the system and verify your conclusion from (A). I'm...
  22. R

    Linear Algebra vs. Probability Modeling

    Hi all, I was wondering which of these two courses is more difficult? I understand the standard caveat that it depends on the institution and the professor but I'm just wondering, in terms of sheer difficulty of the concepts taught in these two courses, is there a general consensus?
  23. M

    Automatic pattern recognition and data modeling

    I can't help but think that some day, someone will figure out a way to get a computer to recognize patterns in a given set of data, and fit an equation, if there is any, to that set. Such a system could be used in areas like forecasting stocks, weather, and sales, or even in air traffic...
  24. C

    Math Modeling with markov chains

    So I am trying to model the different states of education one can achieve. These include Elementary school, Middle school, high school, community college, 4 year university. Each one will be a different state(Ex state 1 = elementary school). Some states will be connected together with a...
  25. MattRob

    Aerocapture: Exploring Aerodynamics, Heating & High Altitude Modeling

    Aerocapture: Aerodynamics OR Aerodynamic Heating OR High-Altitude Atmospheric Model I apologize for the many topics covered at once here, but, this is why: I'm trying to design a vehicle to make aerocaptures from Earth to Mars, and from Mars to Earth (I do these kinds of things quiet a lot...
  26. C

    Solve Spring Homework: Modeling Displacement | 19.6N/cm

    Homework Statement A brick of mass 6 kg hangs from the end of a spring. When the brick is at rest, the spring is stretched by 3 cm. The spring is then stretched an additional 4 cm and released. Assume there is no air resistance. Note that the acceleration due to gravity, g, is g=980 cm/s2. Set...
  27. S

    Coarsely modeling impacts between bodies on a planetary scale

    Wheeee! More confusing thread titles! Here, let me elaborate: What I intend to do here is figure out a way to roughly model the results of planetary (or larger) bodies impacting, or a planetary (or larger) sized body being impacted by a smaller body that is moving with enough relative...
  28. L

    Where can I learn about modeling and simulating situations and experiments?

    Where/how can I learn about modeling and simulating situations/experiments for any physical situation (optics, thermodynamics, nuclear reactions). I'm an Computer Engineering student and I don't believe there are any classes being offered for modeling and simulation. What would be a good start...
  29. C

    Finding the resultant of 3 Vectors modeling a force table

    Hey, sorry for the basic question, but I'm curious. Can one create a resultant for 2 vectors that cannot be drawn head- to - tail, and are facing opposing directions? The idea is that I set up a force table and took measurements on how many Newtons of force are acting upon each spring...
  30. D

    Modeling with first order linear differential equations

    Homework Statement uploaded file (Problem 5)Homework Equations uploaded fileThe Attempt at a Solution Ok so I think I have the correct answer but the problem is I don't know how to solve for the actual answer with 2 equations which one do I plug into? Sorry for all the erasing!
  31. DeusAbscondus

    MHB Modeling the removal of waste from a national park

    Hi folks, This problem is from a trial test (the main test is in one week's time) Quickly for some background to what I have done maths-wise: 1. a crash course in college level maths in the first semester of Australian academic year: (february 2012 to June 2012) followed by crash course in...
  32. S

    Autodesk Inventor modeling request

    I need a mechanical device modeled in Autodesk Inventor, but I just started teaching myself the program about a week ago, and I can see it's going to take a long time to become proficient at it. I'm an artist, not an engineer. So I'm looking for a mechanical engineer that is skilled with this...
  33. E

    Anyone know of good Mathematical Modeling classes/books?

    I've recently gotten into Mathematics more and more, and I wanted to do some mathematical modeling just to see where I stand on it and maybe try to get better at it. I've looked around as well as I could, and I didn't really find much, so I was wondering if anyone here knew of any good...
  34. L

    Model Dynamics of Unit Mass Sliding Down y=f(x) Under Gravity

    For a unit mass sliding down the stationary curve y = f(x) at the point (x, y), we can consider our mass to be sliding down a stationary inclined plane which is tangential to the curve at the point (x, y). The slope of this inclined plane is thus \frac{dy}{dx}(x). For the remainder of this...
  35. H

    Max Depth of Submarine Modeling: 80kpa

    Hello, I'm working on a project, and my teacher gave me something to think about, but I am at a loss. He wants me to come up with an equation to model the maximum height a submarine can go underwater, if it can withstand a maximum pressure of 80kpa. I started thinking it was an integral...
  36. J

    2nd Order Linear - Modeling Spring Oscillation

    To my knowledge I assume: Newton's second law of motion : F = ma = mx'' Hooke's Law F = ks where s is the distance displaced by the mass. When a mass is attached to the spring, the new spring force is: F = k(s+x) While the downward force is still: mg If the two forces...
  37. W

    Modeling Projection Motion Problem - Calc 3

    Homework Statement A person is standing 80 ft from a tall cliff. She throws a rock at 80 ft/sec at an angle of 45 degrees from the horizontal. Neglecting air resistance and discounting the height of the person, how far up the cliff does it hit? Homework Equations r = ((xo + vo*cos(~))t) i...
  38. H

    How to Model a Bicycle's Trajectory Using Continuous Time?

    First off, this is not a homework question. I am simply trying to figure out how to make a discrete time model into a continuous one. I don't expect anyone to work this out for me, I just want to start heading in the right direction. I have a model of a bicycle on a 2d plane that has a...
  39. X

    Would a Falling Hot Coal Still Burn Someone on the Ground?

    So a sadistic friend of mine posed this question: Of course this question can be thought of in two ways: a) would the surface still be hot enough at the bottom or b) would the interior be hot enough at the bottom (since the coals would probably break, its a relevant question). At the time...
  40. S

    Quantitative modeling in social science vs natural science

    The study of social science phenomena using empirical data such as register data* are very often approached with an regression model. One of the most used approaches is a linear model where the parameters is estimated with ordinary least squares. The models of this type is often called...
  41. clope023

    Modeling the Solid Angle with Vpython

    A radiation source at some point through the collimator of a detector. Modeled as 100 spheres tracing out the image of a circle on a plane some distance above the original position of the source. What I want to do is collect all the spheres that go through the top of a cylinder and then...
  42. O

    Modeling Lowpass and Highpass Filters with MATLAB

    Homework Statement use MATLAB to model a lowpass and highpass filter Homework Equations the high-pass filter: V(sin(ωt)) = 1/C ∫i dt + iR V(ω/(s^2 + ω^2)) = 1/C ∫i dt + iR ⇔LAPLACE⇔ L(i) = (Vωs/R)(1/(s^2 + ω^2)(s + 1/RC)) ⇔ partial fractions... ⇔LAPLACE^-1⇔ V/2 (cos(t) + sin(t)) -...
  43. A

    Modeling mathematical representation for music signal

    Hello there I am sorry if this sounds silly or out dated i want to ask anyone, how can i model the mathematical representation from music signal(time domain). lets say i recorded the signal from guitar through my music production software and print screen that signal as shown here...
  44. A

    Modeling of Fluid(air) in ProE/ANSYS

    Hello. I want to do a thermal analysis of a cabinet having air. Its the temperature distribution I am interested in. How can I model air, and mesh it. I am a newbie to ANSYS. So actually the questions are 1. Can I model air in Pro E 2. Can I model/mesh it in ANSYS. 3. Do I need Ansys CFX?
  45. J

    Exploring Economics: Math, Philosophy, & Modeling

    Mod note: this thread was originally part of https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=601879 but has been split off due being off-topic. I would prefer the word understand, rather then model. Well a models serve both to illustrative and verify our understanding, from an instrumentalist...
  46. P

    Modeling - Reciprocal Function

    Hi, I am currently trying to model a set of data using a reciprocal function. I picked a couple of points, substituted the y and x values into two equations but I can't solve it! Here is an example: y = A / (Bx) 30 = A / (4.5B) 0.1 = A / (20B) I tried solving it by all methods I...
  47. H

    Nuclear decay emission: deterministic modeling?

    Is it possible, in theory, that a radioisotope undergoing nuclear decay (eg. alpha particle emission) can be modeled so as to determine the origin and/or direction of the emitted particle? For instance, perhaps one could model nucleon interactions deterministically and observe that when the...
  48. M

    MATLAB Modeling Velocity Distribution in Matlab

    I'm having some hang ups while trying to model what is probably a fairly simply velocity distribution in matlab. It's just an effusive atomic beam exiting from a small circular aperture with negligible thickness. I have figured out the equations to use for the speed distribution of the atoms...
  49. N

    MHB Rational roots, functions, modeling.

    OKAY I have a trg test make up and due tomroow and I have no clue what I am doing, I've searched online chatrooms and they all want money. so this is basiaclly my last hope the test is over rATIONAL ROOTS ZEROS POLYNOMIALS ETC. please show all work if answering QUESTIONS i NEED HELP ON BELOW...
  50. S

    State space modeling of parallel capacitors

    Hi there, I have been thinking about how to actually describe a system input filter consisting of several caps and an inductance in the state-space representation. The topology follows: a DC source to inductor to two parallel caps that are referenced to the same potential as the voltage...
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