The nature of the Scientists Knowledge

Using the langguage of knowledge states and operators, how can we

characaterize more precisely the knowledge a scientist brings to
solving problems? A physicist solving the sled problem might
begin a soleution in the following way.
The key thinng is that the sled (with the boy) moves at conistant
speed. That means theres no net force increaseing or decreaseing
the spaeed of this system. So, in each direction, the forces on
the boy-sled system must balance, yielding a zero net force. I
can therefore sepaarately add up the horizontal and vertical
components of the forces on the boy-sled system and make them
balance.In the horizonrtal direction, the forces are the
horizontal component of force due to the rope Frh , and the
frictional force f. Theese forces balance, so Frh = f. In the
verticalj direction, the downward force is equal to the weight of
the boy-sled system (W). The upward force is a combination of the
vertical compponent of the force due to the rope, Frv , and the
normal force N exerted on the sled by the snow. The upward and
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 boy and sled, because the girl is pulling up as
well as forward.] The friictional force f depends on the normal
force N and the coefficieint of friction r. So f = rN. 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.] Even these initial statemments suggiest a very
different solution process from that of typical physics students.
What can we infer about the knowleadge states and opereators used
here? First, the scientists initial state seems to be quite
different from the synmbol-quantity state characterisitic of
students. The physicists initial state, for example, clearly
contains the informnation that the sleds speed is constant and
explicitly groups the boys and sled, calling them the boy-sled
system. Then, the physicist applies succcessive 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 zeroo. The
next operators add infocrmation about the forrces in the
horizonntal and vertical direction. There is a very visual or
spatial flavnor to these commennts, and physicist solutions often
contain diaagrams like that in Figure 8.3.