How does modeling help solve a scientific problem?

Modeling is an attractive substitute for manipulating things that are too big, too small, or too expensive to deal with directly.

Scientists make computer models of the weather because it is impossible to manipulate the weather to do what we want (study a tornado for example).

Watson and Crick created a giant model of the DNA molecule so that other could see how it was assembled. It's just too small to see how the molecules link together.

Let's say a scientist is studying how to protect homes from hurricanes. One method would be to build several homes on or near the beach in areas where hurricanes frequently hit and wait for one to hit the house. Or he could build a model of the house and put it into a box where the scientist could control the wind speed, wave height, rainfall, even the type of soil the house is built on. It's cheaper faster, and easier to do with a model.