Final answer:
Scientists use computers to model complex phenomena, simplifying real-world systems for easier study. Models allow visualization and experimentation with otherwise inaccessible concepts, playing a vital role in the scientific method.
Step-by-step explanation:
Scientists rely on computers to model phenomena such as complex systems, physical processes, and intangible concepts. The correct option to complete the sentence is Option 1: model; whereby. Models are essential tools for scientists because they simplify the real world, making it possible to study complex systems more easily. Models, including computer simulations and mathematical representations, help in visualizing phenomena that are otherwise too difficult to observe directly or happen over timescales that are impractical for direct observation. For instance, in physics and chemistry, three-dimensional models aid in visualizing molecular structures, while computer-based models allow for virtual experiments which are crucial in understanding the formation of planets or the behavior of electron clouds around an atom.
Building a model involves creating a representation based on previous experiments, and although it is an approximation of reality, it provides a means to theorize, predict, and experiment in a controlled setting. Scientific models are constructed to support or refute hypotheses and are integral to the scientific method, which involves observation, hypothesis formation, experimentation, and data analysis to construct theories and laws.