1Alayjah Morrison

1The

2/4/2015 7:22 PM

Spring 2015

Nature of the Scientists Knowledge

Global
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sing the language of knowledge states and operators, how can we

characterize more precisely the knowledge a scientist brings to solving
problems? A physicist solving the sled problem might begin a solution in the
following way.

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The key thing is that the sled (with the girl) moves at

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constant speed. That means theres no net force increasing or

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decreasing the speed of this system. So, in each direction, the forces

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on the girl-sled system must balance, yielding a zero net force. I can

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therefore separately add up the horizontal and vertical components of

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4Alayjah Morrison
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the forces on the girl-sled system and make them balance. In the
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horizontal direction, the forces are the horizontal component of force

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due to the rope Frh , and the frictional force f. These forces balance, so

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Frh = f. In the vertical direction, the downward force is equal to the

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weight of the girl-sled system (W). The upward force is a combination

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of the vertical component of the force due to the rope, Frv , and the

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normal force N exerted on the sled by the snow. The upward and

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downward forces must balance, so N + Frv = W. [Note that the

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expert picks up a point that the student, simply juggling

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symbols, missed: the normal force alone does not balance the

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full weight of the girl and sled, because the girl is pulling up

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as well as forward.] The frictional force f depends on the normal

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force N and the coefficient of friction r. So f = N. I can now combine

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these equations to solve for in terms of Fand W. [Note that the

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expert has not yet used specific numerical values for any of the

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quantities, but first solves the problem in general.

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Spring 2015

ven these initial statements suggest a very different

solution process from that of typical physics students. What
can we infer about the knowledge states and operators used

here? First, the scientists initial state seems to be quite different from

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the symbol-quantity state characteristic of students. The physicists

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initial state, for example, clearly contains the information that the

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sleds speed is constant and explicitly groups the girls and sled,

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7Alayjah Morrison
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calling them the girl-sled system. Then, the physicist applies
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successive operators, which each add more information about the

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system. The first operator applied adds the information that in every

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direction the forces on this system must balance, or yield a net

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force of zero. The next operators add information about the forces in
the horizontal and vertical direction.

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Biology

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Physics

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Chemistry

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Biotechnology

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Biochemisty

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Astrology

Excel

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Tech

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Spring 2015

10Alayjah Morrison
Application

2/4/2015 7:22 PM
Courseware

Tools

Word

Spring 2015
Operating
Systems

Simulation

processin

Internet
Explorer

g
1. Database
Microsoft
Excel

2. Solving
Drill and

3. Foxfire
Netscape

Practice

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There is a very visual or spatial flavor to these comments,

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and physicist solutions often contain diagrams like that in

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Figure 8.3. Using the language of knowledge states and

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operators, how can we characterize more precisely the

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knowledge a scientist brings to solving problems?

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