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. M

    How Can You Calculate Winning Probabilities in a Game with T's, D's, and I's?

    I wanted to model a particular game and determine the probability for each team to win. I have no idea how to do the determination of probability part, but here's the game broken down: There are 3 types of players, T's, D's and I's. The amount of each type of player is as follows: 1/8 D...
  2. PeterDonis

    Modeling a measurement as unitary

    This question is inspired by reading Arnold Neumaier's article on Everett's measurement theory: http://arnold-neumaier.at/physfaq/topics/everett Suppose I have a system whose state lies in a two-dimensional Hilbert space, and I want to model a measurement of its state as a unitary evolution...
  3. phyzguy

    Ice Age Modeling: Major Step Forward in Climate Change?

    OK, I'll dive in and start a climate change thread. I'm fascinated by the Nature paper by Abe-Ouchi, et.al., which I already uploaded in post #21 of this thread. If you look at Figure 1, the model does an outstanding job of modeling the last several ice ages. I have been somewhat skeptical of...
  4. R

    MATLAB [Matlab] Problem in modeling a DAE system using ode15s

    Dear all, I have a coupled system of ode's with an algebraic equation. The equations are as follows, function dy=lorentz(t,y) global Vfc; %fcdata.m % Data file for the hybrid system with parameters values %*************************************** % Physical parameters Rl = 0.024...
  5. T

    Model Evaporation in Closed System

    Hi there! My first post, exciting. What I'm after is a little help steering me in the right direction. I'm attempting to model evaporation in a closed system, and I'm not sure how to go about it. That is, let's assume we have a liquid in a partially filled container, and the rest is filled...
  6. T

    Exploring the Limits of Modeling EM Forces as Spatial Curvature

    Why can't EM attraction/repulsion be modeled as spatial curvature the way gravity can be? And for that matter, why can't the strong and weak nuclear forces be modeled that way either? Or can they?
  7. latsany

    MATLAB Potentiometer modeling by Matlab

    I can't model the potentiometer in speed governor control system by MATLAB even I know the input of it is pu and the output is voltage but when I run the program it has an error occur I want to see what wrong it is. Help me please
  8. binbagsss

    Optics aperture modeling rect functions

    I am trying to model a shape T aperture through 2D rect functions. Both the horizontal and vertical 'lines' have length b and width a, and do not overlap. The origin should be taken to be the centre of the vertical line. The question has hinted at the function describing the aperture to be...
  9. A

    How Do You Model Rainfall and Runoff on a Flat Surface?

    I would like to model rain hitting a surface and then running off of the surface. The surface would be a square, such as a slab of concrete, and the concrete would not be at any angle, so the rain would run off of all sides equally. This is a starting point for a small research project I am...
  10. M

    Engineering Two EE questions - nodal analysis and circuit modeling

    Two EE questions -- nodal analysis and circuit modeling Homework Statement Homework Equations I was given R1, R2, and Iα(t), the time for the switch to closed (50μs<=t<=100μs) The question is asking about the energy associated with 2 sources and dissipated in R1, R2.The Attempt at a...
  11. A

    Simple Differential Equation Modeling

    Homework Statement I am trying to model using differential equations rain falling from the sky, hitting the pavement, and then running off the pavement into the ground. I'm a little rusty on differential equations and I'm just wondering if my answer is correct. In this model I'm assuming that...
  12. R

    Advice on buying a laser for 3D modeling

    I'm developing a scanner that uses a laser for edge detection. It will be mounted on a hexacopter that will traverse a short distance through a cave/tunnel system and produce a 3D image. I'm still researching on ways to process this data but I'm thinking of using a edge detection algorithm in...
  13. B

    Another Modeling Growth and Decay Problem

    Homework Statement Consider an item that is initially sold at a market price of $10 per unit. Over time, market forces push the price toward the equilibrium price, $20, at which supply balances demand. After 6 months, the price has increased to $15. the Evans Price Adjustment model says that...
  14. B

    Modeling Growth and Decay Problem

    Homework Statement Suppose water leaks out of a barrel at a rate proportional to the square root of the depth of the water. If the level starts at 36 in. and drops to 35 in. after 1 hour, how long will it take for all the water to leak out of the barrel? I have to choose and implement a...
  15. X

    Modeling of a Single Species Population (F.O. D.F.Q.)

    First off, this is a typed paper project, and I am not asking for anyone to solve my work or to give me the answers. Just please point me in the right direction or help me through any parts I am not understanding. This is also a 7 part project, and I would like help on this first problem to get...
  16. A

    Modeling with Linear Equations (DE)

    1. An object of unit mass is dropped from a height of 20 above a liquid-filled reservoir of depth 50. If the acceleration of gravity is 9.8 and the resistance-to-motion coefficients of air and liquid are 1 and 4, respectively, compute the time taken by the object to hit the bottom of the...
  17. K

    Simulation software for modeling a dusty fission reactor variant.

    Hi, all. Could anyone recommend some good software for modeling nuclear physics? I have concept nuclear rocket that I wanted to attempt to model the engine for to see how practical it would be. In case it's relevant: The design is a subcritical fast dusty fission fragment reactor driven by a...
  18. B

    Airflow modeling software on a small scale

    Hi there, I think this is in the right section if not please inform me and move my thread. I want to design and build a UAV in a copter format whether it be quad, hexa, octa, ect. I want to make a modeling software so that I can design the most efficient blade/motor for my specific needs. I am a...
  19. E

    Areas of EE that use computations and modeling?

    I'm currently in the middle of a Physics PhD program but I now want to drop out with a Masters. I'm considering a career as an materials engineer or EE, but I definitely want to focus more on using software than 'hands-on' work. I heard that power systems, signal processing, communications...
  20. K

    How can I model a two tank system to control fluid level in tank 2?

    Hello! I'm currently working on a project where i am supposed to model a two tank system. The only information the project gave me, was that i have to control the fluid level in tank 2 (what kind of fluid is up to me). I have tried to put the problem in a practical contex, where i have...
  21. A

    Atmosphere Modeling: If G Doubles, How Tall?

    If g (acceleration due to gravity) was double on Earth, how tall would our atmosphere be?
  22. J

    Software capable of modeling ground grid performance during faults cau

    For a University project I need to somehow model the effective performance of a ground grid in the event of a fault caused by a lightning strike. We would need to prepare different test cases for different sizes and grid configurations in order to carry out different analysis and find the...
  23. P

    Would modeling collisions using Coulomb forces be useful?

    Hi, I am trying to decide on a topic for my senior project, and my professor and I fleetingly discussed my idea of writing a program that models collisions of macroscopic objects using the mutual repulsive forces of their valence electrons rather than standard conservation laws. My question is...
  24. R

    Antisymmetric modeling for panel method solver

    This is a section from the Pan Air user's guide (Pan Air is a aerodynamic panel-method flow solver). I'm confused by the symmetry and anti-symmetry. The first one is easy enough: mirror about the XZ plane (Yimage = -Y, Ximage = X, Zimage = Z). The third one is no symmetry applied. Also easy...
  25. K

    MHB Mistakes in problem statement (hierarchical modeling)

    I am doing some problems from a practice final and would like to know if the following problem has mistakes in the way it is written. It is throwing me off. **Problem statement:** Suppose that $(X_1,P_1), \ldots, (X_n,P_n)$ are independent random vectors with $X_i|P_i \approx Bernoulli(P_i)...
  26. E

    Regarding modeling of light bulb circuit

    Hello, I'm trying to apply conservation of energy to a lightbulb circuit, but I can't think of what term should be included for heat loss / convection / conduction Here's what I've got Pin = Pradiated + i2Rwire, connections, etc + Power lost to heating surroundings? (what can I use for...
  27. R

    High order panel modeling units?

    I have a copy of Pan Air (A502) which is a high-order panel method used for modeling 3D airflow around arbitrary bodies. I've read the manual, but I'm not clear about the units used. As I understand it, the free stream velocity is normalized which implies that all the other geometry is scaled by...
  28. J

    Modeling Population Dynamics of Flies, Frogs, and Crocodiles

    Homework Statement Flies, frogs, and crocodiles coexist in an environment. To survive, frogs need to eat flies and crocodiles need to eat frogs. In the absence of frogs, the fly population will grow exponentially and the crocodile population will decay exponentially. In the absence of...
  29. N

    How can I control the current in an RL circuit using state space modeling?

    Hi.. This is sundaram, I'm trying to learn state space modeling, I'm trying to model the simple RL series circuit, to control/read the current flowing through inductor. I could find the way to monitor the voltage across inductor. as below x'=(u - Rx)*(1/L) y=(u - Rx) where: x => i...
  30. ajayguhan

    My group has given the task of modeling projection of line and my

    My group has given the task of modeling projection of line and my part is to construct the vertical and horizontal plane. So my idea is to have two mirrors joined like an laptop, so that we can fold them and they can also be perpendicular. I'm thinking of making hole in one mirror and a...
  31. T

    Modeling T-Stub as Beam (having difficulty)

    Hi all, I am trying to find the slope of a T-stub joint at the bolt in order to find the bending stress of the bolt. I have drawn 1/2 of the T-stub as a beam. The beam analysis requires (for physicality) that the slope at each side of the beam to be zero. There is an applied load, a bolt...
  32. J

    Modeling soil temperature at a depth of 5ft

    Hello everyone, This isn't really my area of expertise, so I am looking for a bit of guidance. I wish to estimate the temperature underground at a depth of 5ft. The climate is Saskatchewan (Canada) so it is covered with snow in the winter, and fairly hot in the summer. There is no tree...
  33. S

    Is my modeling approach correct?

    Ecologists use the following model to represent the growth rate process of two competing species, x and y: dx/dt=r1x(1-x/K1)-α1xy dy/dt=r2y(1-y/K2)-α2xy Let x= number of blue whales (measured in 100,000's) y=number of fin whales (measured in 100,00's) t=time measured in centuries...
  34. MarkFL

    MHB Help's question at Yahoo Answers regarding quadratic modeling

    Here is the question: I have posted a link there to this topic so the OP can see my work.
  35. S

    Optimizing Oil Spill Cleanup: Minimizing Costs with Additional Crews

    An oil spill has fouled 200 miles of shoreline. The oil company responsible has been given 14 days to clean up the shoreline, after which a fine of $$10/day$ will be imposed. The local clean up crew can scrub 5 miles of beach per week at a cost of $500/day. Additional crews can be brought in at...
  36. S

    Exact modeling of coulomb stick-slip-friction using LCP

    Model I have a simple model. Say a 1DOF-Model like a box on a table pulled with a spring, which follows a given path. The friction between box (The position is y) and the table should be modeled with the coulomb-friction model. Like F_N\mu\geq F_T \rightarrow \dot{y}=0 F_N\mu<F_T...
  37. alane1994

    MHB Modeling with a First Order Equation

    Consider a tank used in certain hydrodynamic experiments. After one experiment the tank contains 200L of dye solution with a concentration of 1 g/L. To prepare for the next experiment, the tank is to be rinsed with fresh water flowing in at a rate of 2 L/min, the well-stirred solution...
  38. M

    Mathematics courses useful in engineering, data analysis and modeling

    Hello, I am currently pursuing my degree in Mechanical Engineering, and was wondering what math courses were good to take after the basic math sequence has been completed (Calculus 1-3, Differential Eq & Linear Algebra.). I have an interest in mathematical modeling and data analysis, as...
  39. H

    Modeling a Differential Equation for Air Strut Pressure and Volume

    Hello all, Would love for someone to help me get a solution for this. So, in essence I am trying to model a differential equation for the following scenario: (I am currently achieving this through Excel, but I'm certain a mathematical representation can make things more concise and...
  40. MarkFL

    MHB Heather's Mathematical Model Question on Herbicide Absorption

    Here is the question: I have posted a link there to this topic so the OP can see my work.
  41. MarkFL

    MHB Trinket's question at Yahoo Answers regarding the modeling of weight loss

    Here is the question: I have posted a link there to this topic so the OP can see my work.
  42. N

    How do I accurately model and calculate costs for different data plans?

    Re: Are my answers correct? Quadratic and logarithmic modeling I actually have a few more things that i'd like you to check for me please. Answers: Appetizer: {0<=x<=10 y=7 x>10 y=2(x-10)+7 or y=2x-13 Quest: {0<=x<=40 y=40 x>40 y=1(x-40)+40 or y=x) Voyager: {0<=x<=60 y=60 x>60...
  43. N

    MHB Are my answers correct? Quadratic and logarithmic modeling

    This is what i got... For option 1 I think it's y=( .5(x-20))^2+20 for x>20 For option 2 I think it's y=30+.5*ln|x-25| for x>25Question: develop equations that model the two replacement pack options (option 1) quedratic model, monthly access fee \$20, included gigabytes 20, cost per...
  44. P

    Probability Modeling for Coin Flips

    Hi math gurus . I have probability modeling question. There are 5 coins A, B, C, D,E,F . Each coin has 2 outcomes on flipping Head (H) or Tail (T). For each coin type there is a different score associated with H or T outcome. The cumulative sum of score will be recorded for the number of...
  45. S

    Is an Atomic Computer the Future of High-Speed Processing?

    A thought crossed my mind about the idea of atomic computers. In short, I have no clue as to whether such a thing is feasible, already in the works, or just a bunch of nonsense, which is why I decided to bring it up here and see if anyone could offer some insight into this idea. If so, I’d...
  46. STEMucator

    Model Evaporation of Raindrop with Differential Equation

    Homework Statement A spherical raindrop evaporates at a rate proportional to its surface area. Write a differential equation for the volume of the raindrop as a function of time. Homework Equations Volume of a sphere = V = (4/3)πr3 Surface area of a sphere = S = 4πr2 The Attempt at a...
  47. N

    Modeling a crack in a material.

    I was wondering if anyone has ever tried to model/fit a crack on a material surface with a Weierstrass function.
  48. J

    Signal modeling of reflected laser

    Hello all, I am trying to model a received laser signal, x(t), reflected off a moving target. I am currently trying to model for both frequency change due to Doppler shifting as well as a time-varying phase shift, θ(t), due to the continuous change in distance from the target. My current...
  49. E

    Model Solenoid: Best Method & Troubleshooting

    What would be the best method to model a solenoid? I tried writing a program that calculated the off axis elements of the solenoid but the value came out wrong. Any idea?
  50. J

    Modeling Rigid Body - Unsure about Euler angles and angular velocity

    I'm modeling a single 3D rigid body in preparation for some more complicated modeling in order to gain a better understanding of Euler angles, the angular velocity vector and the rotating coordinate system. The body is rotated in inertial frame by an intrinsic ZXZ rotation, with respective...
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