SAMPLE ANSWERS:
Question 1:
Strong Answer:
Scale is essential because the rules that govern matter change depending on how closely we look. At larger, visible scales, classical physics helps explain motion and forces in predictable ways. But as we move down to the atomic or subatomic levels, quantum mechanics takes over—particles behave probabilistically, and forces like the strong nuclear force become dominant. These shifts in physical principles require scientists to ask different questions and use different methods. For example, we can’t “see” a quark the way we see an apple, so we rely on particle accelerators and probabilistic models. Thinking across many orders of magnitude allows us to connect seemingly simple materials—like carbon or oxygen—to the complex, layered systems that create them.
Weak Answer:
Scale is important because small things are different from big things. Like, atoms are small and we can’t see them, so we need to study them differently. At the quark level it’s even smaller, so it’s more complicated.
Question 2:
Strong Answer:
What we think of as solid is actually made up of particles that are constantly moving and interacting in complex ways. Inside the nucleus, protons and neutrons don’t stay still—they move at incredible speeds and follow quantum rules that don’t match our normal experience. This shows that “solid” things aren’t truly solid in the way we imagine—they’re held together by forces that we don’t directly feel. It makes me realize that our everyday idea of matter is shaped more by how we sense it than by how it actually works at a smaller level.
Weak Answer:
It means solids aren’t really solid, they’re kind of moving. Things are always moving, even if we can’t see it. So solid stuff is actually just tiny stuff moving.
