Science Assessment ~ Items ~ MO094001

Can a model of an object (such as the roof of a house) be used to predict how an object will behave in certain situations (such as in a heavy rainstorm)?

No, a model is only useful for communicating to others what an object is like, not for making predictions about how an object will behave.
No, predictions made with a model are never useful because a model is never exactly the same as the object it represents.
Yes, a model will behave exactly as the object it is representing behaves because a model is exactly the same as the object it represents.
Yes, a model can predict the behavior of the object it represents, but the predicted behavior may not be exactly the same as the object’s actual behavior because a model is never exactly the same as the object it represents.

Details
Performance
NGSS

Topic: Models
Correct Answer: D

Distribution of Responses

Chart showing distrubtion of responses for Item MO094001

Students Responding Correctly

Group	Correct	Total	Percent
Overall	878	1582	56%
Grades
6–8	522	956	55%
9–12	356	626	57%
Gender
Male	381	758	50%
Female	478	793	60%
Primary Language
English	820	1449	57%
Other	46	108	43%

View data table

NRC Framework: HS Practice 2: Discuss the limitations and precision of a model as the representation of a system, process, or design and suggest ways in which the model might be improved to better fit available evidence or better reflect a design’s specifications. Refine a model in light of empirical evidence or criticism to improve its quality and explanatory power.

Science Assessment

Item MO094001: A model can predict the behavior of the object it represents (e.g. how a roof will perform in a rainstorm), but the predicted behavior may not be exactly the same as the object’s actual behavior because a model is never exactly the same as the object it represents.