Compare the Illustration View and the Chart View of carbon flows into and out of the atmosphere. Why is it helpful to see two different models to explain the same situation?

Many younger students think of models as either toys or simple copies of reality. This is broadly consistent with the everyday meaning of ‘model’ (e.g. ‘model cars’, ‘model airplanes’, ‘model railways’). Students often think of models as useful because they are copies (or even scale reproductions) of actual objects or actions. In such cases, students rarely look beyond the surface similarities between the model and the object or idea being represented by the model (that is, the question, 'Does it look like X?' will be the way the value of a model of X is judged).

As with many areas of science, the science meaning for the term ‘model’ differs from the everyday usage of the word. This is important in understanding student everyday experiences with models.