Question

guided notes: cracking the lightning code
chapter 2.2-2.4 review
i. the scientific investigation (the detective story)

1. the subject of the investigation was lightning right here in allentown
2. the scientific challenge: lightning is massive, incredibly powerful, and predictable
3. the solution: bring the storm into the classroom. scientists build a physical model to shrink the complicated system down to a manageable size.

ii. clue 1: rain, data, and scientific logic

1. the mystery: the connection between rain and lightning. they almost always appear together.
2. the data: a graph showed a strong pattern: the more it rained, the more lightning was observed.
3. the critical concept: scientists must distinguish between correlation and causation.

• correlation means two things happen together.
• correlation does not automatically mean one thing causes the other (e.g., roosters crowing and the sunrise).
• to prove causation, the scientists needed to move from watching to experimenting.

iii. clue 2: the desktop storm model

1. the model used was the water dropper system.
2. this \desktop storm\ created its own tiny lightning spark between two electrodes.
3. the goal of the experiment was to look for something happening in the space around the system right before the spark.
4. detective tools (detectors): simple, everyday objects were used to detect forces:

• a tiny neon bulb.
• shiny holiday tinsel.
• a balloon and a scrap of a plastic bag.

1. key observation 1: the neon bulb lit up when brought close to metal points though it was unconnected.
2. key observation 2: the tinsel and plastic bag were either pulled towards or pushed away from the metal points.

Explanation:

Filled in the missing blanks based on scientific concepts about lightning, scientific method, and static electricity experiments:

1. For the scientific logic section: Correlation does not prove causation, so to prove causation scientists need to test/intervene, not just observe.
2. For the desktop storm model: The spark forms between two conductive surfaces (like metal plates). The experiment looks for an electric field before the spark. A neon bulb is a common detector, so it's a neon bulb. The neon bulb lights without touching the metal, showing an electric field. The tinsel/plastic is pushed or pulled by the field.

Answer:

I. The Scientific Investigation (The Detective Story)

1. unpredictable
2. physical model

II. Clue 1: Rain, Data, and Scientific Logic

1. causation

• Correlation does not automatically mean one thing causes the other (e.g., roosters crowing and the sunrise).
• To prove causation, the scientists needed to move from watching to experimenting/testing.

III. Clue 2: The Desktop Storm Model

1. conductive metal plates (or electrodes)
2. an electric field
3. bulb
4. not touching the metal
5. pushed