Karen Pierce

4/2/15 15:30 A4/P4

Spring 2015

The Nature of the Scientists Knowledge

Science &
Knowledge
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.
The key thing is that the sled (with the girl) moves at

constant speed. That means theres no net force increasing or

decreasing the speed of this system. So, in each direction, the forces
on the girl-sled system must balance, yielding a zero net force. I can
therefore separately add up the horizontal and vertical components of
the forces on the girl-sled system and make them balance. In the
horizontal direction, the forces are the horizontal component of force
due to the rope Frh , and the frictional force f. These forces balance, so
Frh = f. In the vertical direction, the downward force is equal to the
weight of the girl-sled system (W). The upward force is a combination
of the vertical component of the force due to the rope, Frv , and the
2. The Nature of the Scientist_kpierce

Karen Pierce
4/2/15 15:30 A4/P4
normal force N exerted on the sled by the snow. The upward and

Spring 2015

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

expert picks up a point that the student, simply juggling
symbols, missed: the normal force alone does not balance the
full weight of the girl and sled, because the girl is pulling up
as well as forward.] The frictional force f depends on the normal
force N and the coefficient of friction . So f = N. I can now combine
these equations to solve for r in terms of Fr and W. [Note that the
expert has not yet used specific numerical values for any of the

quantities, but first solves the problem in general

ven these initial statements soggiest 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 the symbol-quantity state
characteristic of students. The physicists initial state, for example,

clearly contains the information that the sleds speed is constant and explicitly groups
the girls and sled, calling them the girl-sled system. Then, the physicist applies
successive operators, which each add more information about the system. The first
operator applied adds the information that in every direction the forces on this system
must balance, or yield a net force of zero. The next operators add information about
the forces in the horizontal and vertical direction.

Biology

Physics

2. The Nature of the Scientist_kpierce

Karen Pierce
Chemistry

Biotechnology

Biochemistry

Astrology

4/2/15 15:30 A4/P4

Application Tools
Word Processing
1. Database
Microsoft Excel
Excel

Courseware
Simulation
2. Problem Solving
Drill and Practice
Technology

Spring 2015

Operating Systems
Internet Explorer
3. Foxfire
Netscape
Word
Access

Frn

The Nature of the Scientist

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

solutions often contain diagrams like that in Figure 8.3. Using the language of
2. The Nature of the Scientist_kpierce

Karen Pierce
4/2/15 15:30 A4/P4
Spring 2015
knowledge states and operators, how can we characterize more precisely the
knowledge a scientist brings to solving problems?

2. The Nature of the Scientist_kpierce