An example of a teaching analogy for a scientific concept:
"An endothermic reaction is one which absorbs heat energy, so the products have a higher enthalpy or heat content than the reactants. This is like taking a sponge and pouring 50 ml of water into it … the sponge ends up with a greater water content than before the "endothermic" reaction. Furthermore, the amount of water added (50 ml) corresponds to the heat of reaction.
In an exothermic reaction, heat energy is given off to the surroundings so the product molecules have a lower heat content than the reactants. This is like taking a wet sponge and squeezing it into a funnel … the sponge ends up with a lower water content than before the "exothermic" reaction. The amount of water which is squeezed into the funnel and collected, is a good concrete way to visualise the heat of reaction."
Source: Murray Hart, retired science teacher, previously posted at scienceanalogies.com
Read examples of scientific analogies
Many examples of science analogies are listed in 'Creative comparisons: Making science familiar through language. An illustrative catalogue of figurative comparisons and analogies for science concepts'. Free Download.
