Building a Model of a System

Lab Brief #4

🎯 Your mission

Predict it first. Then prove yourself right (or wrong).

⚡ The twist

Nature loves to surprise the careful watcher.

What you'll learn

A model does not have to look like the real thing; it has to behave like it. A jar of soil, plants and water models a whole water cycle well enough to predict what a greenhouse will do, even though it is nothing like a sky.

Key words

system
A set of parts that work together and affect each other.
closed system
A system nothing enters or leaves, so what goes round stays inside.

Make a hypothesis first

Before you start: write down what you think will happen, and why.

Say your guess out loud — then find out if you were right.

Get ready

🧰 What you need

clear jar with lid
soil
small plant
water

⚠️ Safety first

Wash hands after handling soil and keep the jar sealed once set up.

Step 1 of 4 · Read

Think about what you just learned: say what "system" and "closed system" mean in your own words before you start.

Step 2 of 4 · Do

Seal soil, a small plant and a little water in a clear jar and leave it in the light for two weeks. Record the water on the lid each day and explain where it came from and where it goes.

Step 3 of 4 · Observe

Record what actually happened, including anything that did not match what you expected.

Step 4 of 4 · Record

Write a conclusion that answers the question this lesson opened with, and state your uncertainty.

Question 1 of 2

A good model must:

How sure are you?😐 maybe

Question 2 of 2

Water reappearing on the jar lid shows:

How sure are you?😐 maybe

Mind = blown

🔬 The more you look, the more nature shows you.

Nice work!

You got 0 of 2 right.

Next: When Models Get It Wrong All lessons

🎯

Next Smart Experiment

We'll pick an experiment that matches exactly how you're thinking right now.

✨ More to explore

🌍 Where you see this in real life: This shows up in your everyday life more than you'd think.

🏆 Stretch challenge (try it this week): Try one experiment in real life this week — even a tiny one.

👨‍👩‍👧 For the dinner table: “What's the most surprising thing you learned today?”

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