Toys and Scale Models

Abstract

Play is fun. With toys designed like real world objects – kitchen sinks, hot wheels, lawn mowers, baby dolls – children are socialized through play. By playing with these toys, children exercise their imaginations, creativity, and intuition. So, too, do adults exercise these mental muscles through play. Scale models are the toys that engineers and scientists use to solve problems. While children’s toys may be less than accurate representations of real world objects, the similarity between full scale objects and their scale models must be guaranteed before engineers start playing with these “toys”. Most real world problems come out without labels as to what analytical process is appropriate to solve them. Experiments, or “play”, with scale models are helpful in defining problem areas and then in helping engineers apply proper analytical techniques to define solutions. Sometimes it is enough to scale down real world phenomena with scaling laws and do experiments in our heads to perceive the physical mechanism of the phenomenon. However, the mental process of problem-solving is enhanced through “play”. Scale models provide a great help to basic understanding of real world phenomena and making inductive inferences. It is fun to pursue the rigorous accuracy in scale models, and more fun to play with them.