| computer simulation
the use of a computer to represent the dynamic
responses of one system by the behaviour of another
system modeled after it. A simulation uses a
mathematical description, or model, of a real system in
the form of a computer program. This model is
composed of equations that duplicate the functional
relationships within the real system. When the program
is run, the resulting mathematical dynamics form an
analog of the behaviour of the real system, with the
results presented in the form of data. A simulation can
also take the form of a computer-graphics image
that represents dynamic processes in an animated
sequence.
Computer simulations are used to study the
dynamic behaviour of objects or systems in response to
conditions that cannot be easily or safely applied in
real life. For example, a nuclear blast can be described
by a mathematical model that incorporates such variables
as heat, velocity, and radioactive emissions. Additional
mathematical equations can then be used to adjust the
model to changes in certain variables, such as the
amount of fissionable material that produced the blast.
Simulations are especially useful in enabling observers
to measure and predict how the functioning of an entire
system may be affected by altering individual components
within that system.
The simpler simulations performed by personal
computers consist mainly of business models and
geometric models. The former includes spreadsheet,
financial, and statistical software programs that are
used in business analysis and planning. Geometric models
are used for numerous applications that require simple
mathematical modeling of objects, such as buildings,
industrial parts, and the molecular structures of
chemicals. More advanced simulations, such as those that
emulate weather patterns or the behaviour of
macroeconomic systems, are usually performed on powerful
workstations or on mainframe computers. In engineering, computer
models of newly designed structures undergo simulated
tests to determine their responses to stress and other
physical variables. Simulations of river systems can be
manipulated to determine the potential effects of dams
and irrigation networks before any actual construction
has taken place. Other examples of computer
simulations include estimating the competitive responses
of companies in a particular market and reproducing the
movement and flight of space vehicles.
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