discussion summary 1

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University of Waterloo *

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Aerospace Engineering

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Apr 3, 2024

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docx

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Discussion Summary Assignment 1 Rafay Akhtar (20942459) Course Material Discussion - Week 2 Answer posted: Jan 17, 2024, 2:36 PM Questions addressed: 1. Discuss the two examples of feedbacks that you came up with. 2. Find and share other stock/flow/feedback simulations that might help you and your classmates understand these concepts. Description of discussion: Participants in this discussion thread provided feedback loop examples to highlight important ideas. Amber Kay Farrell highlighted amplifying feedback through social media engagement and stabilizing feedback in the regulation of body temperature. Examples of amplifying feedback, such as forest fires, and stabilising feedback, such as osmoregulation, were provided by Ava Mcclure. Furthermore, the participants provided a range of examples that demonstrated how feedback concepts may be applied in different systems, from viral trends to population management to clotting of blood. To help with learning, a variety of resources were given. These included PBS interactive courses and LOOPY, a modelling tool for stock, flow, and feedback simulations. The group discussion enhanced our understanding of feedback loops and highlighted their importance in intricate systems. My Post: Amplifying feedback example: Population An amplifying feedback loop in a population happens when initial reproduction increases the number of people, which in turn increases the opportunity for additional reproduction. A self- reinforcing loop is created when more organisms reproduce, increasing population growth. The population keeps growing because greater reproduction is made possible by the larger population. Under the right circumstances, this positive feedback loop can lead to exponential population expansion. It's important to understand, though, that real-world issues, including scarce resources, environmental limitations, and competition for food and space, can eventually impose restraints and introduce counterbalancing feedback processes that eventually regulate and stabilize population increase. Stabilizing feedback example: Predator-prey interactions Predator-prey interactions in an ecosystem provide a prominent illustration of a stabilizing (negative) feedback loop. Imagine a situation in which the number of prey, like rabbits, rises. There is more food available for predators like foxes when the population of prey increases. Predator populations can flourish because there is more prey available. Predation, on the other hand, increases as the predator population increases and puts more strain on the prey population. Eventually, fewer prey are available due to the increasing rate of predation. The predator population will drop as a result of a lack of food when there is less prey accessible. Predator

populations are under less strain as a result of this decrease, which helps the prey population recover. With time, the numbers of prey and predators balance one another out, and the cycle repeats. Predator and prey are kept in a sustainable equilibrium by this stabilizing feedback loop, which keeps neither population from growing to unsustainable proportions. Other stock/flow/feedback simulations that might help you and your classmates understand these concepts: https://medium.com/better-systems/systems-thinking-part-2-stocks-flows-and-feedback-loops- b27eadfc200#:~:text=For%20example%2C%20when%20the%20water,out%20of%20that %20same%20stock. The website above explains the whole concept of stock/flow and feedbacks very well. It gives an example of the water in a bathtub being the stock, which is another great example. Critical analysis: The answers to the questions about feedback loops are often instructive and include the examples of how feedback loops in populations and predator-prey relationships may be amplified and stabilised. The topics are clearly illustrated by the clear examples provided. A deeper examination of the possible uses and effects of these feedback loops, meanwhile, would strengthen the study. For example, the text mentions resource scarcity and the amplifying feedback loop of population expansion, but it might improve the analysis by delving deeper into the consequences for the actual world and considering the possibility of population collapse in specific scenarios. Like this, the explanation of the stabilising feedback loop in predator-prey interactions is good, but the critical analysis may benefit from additional focus on how these dynamics affect ecosystem stability or how human activities could upset these natural cycles. A more direct integration of certain findings from the resource might improve the answer, even though the suggested link is a useful resource as well. The study of feedback loops in stock/flow systems would be improved overall if particular examples or applications from the given link were included. This would show a deeper interaction with external sources.

Course Material Discussion - Week 3 Answer posted: Jan 25, 2024 7:40 PM Question addressed: Share strategies for understanding the various components of the Milankovitch cycles. Find and post simulations, videos, or images that helped it all make sense to you. Description of discussion: Different techniques are offered in the subject of comprehending Milankovitch cycles. While Ava Mcclure's parallels offer striking visualisations, Amber Kay Farrell presents the key cycles. Using a well-rounded approach, Grace Marie Passmore highlights interaction and provides a NASA link. Analogies like yarn ball winders and sand pendulums are cleverly used by Elizabeth Sue-Muy Jung. Using dynamic resources, Hajra Ijaz highlights the value of multimedia. An all-encompassing comprehension is aided by the group tactics, comparisons, and outside resources. An atmosphere that fosters collaboration and insight is created via the use of simulations, films, and images exchanged during discussions to enhance the learning process. My post: Think of Milankovitch cycles as a dance that the Sun, Moon, and Earth have created. Each dancer in this ballet has a unique function to play, influencing the long-term fluctuations in Earth's temperature. Now let's dissect the analogy: Earth's Orbit (Eccentricity):The Earth's orbit around the Sun may be compared to a dancer's journey on a stage. This is because of its eccentricity. There are moments when the orbit is more circular, like a beautiful waltz. At other points, it gets longer and more elliptical, like a tango with lots of energy. The orbit's eccentricity affects the amount of sunlight that reaches Earth at various periods, which has an impact on the planet's temperature overall. axial tilt (obliquity): Imagine the axial tilt of the Earth as the body tilt of a dancer. The Earth's axial tilt changes with time, just like a performer might stand more erect or lean slightly to one side. Because of how this tilt influences how sunlight is distributed throughout the seasons, there is a climatic rhythm that varies with the tilt. precession: Think of Earth's precession like a dancer's steady, elegant spin. The Earth's axis eventually completes a round rotation, like to a dance routine spin. The Earth's axis is reoriented by this precession, which affects the seasons and the amount of sunlight received by each hemisphere at certain times of the year. These three Milankovitch cycles come together to create an enthralling dance. The general tone of the dance is established by eccentricity. The beautiful tilts and inclinations are determined by obliquity, while the graceful spins and rotations are a result of axial precession. When combined,

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