Computational physics |
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Numerical analysis · Simulation
Data analysis · Visualization |
Potentials Lennard-Jones potential · Yukawa potential · Morse potential |
Finite element · Riemann solver Smoothed particle hydrodynamics |
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Computational physics is the study and implementation of numerical algorithms to solve problems in physics for which a quantitative theory already exists[1]. Historically, computational physics was the first application of modern computers in science, and is now a subset of computational science[2].
Overview
In Physics, different theories based on mathematical models provide very precise predictions on how systems behave. Unfortunately, it is often the case that solving the mathematical model for a particular system in order to produce a useful prediction is not feasible. This can occur, for instance, when the solution does not have a closed-form expression, or is too complicated. In such cases, numerical approximations are required. Computational physics is the subject that deals with these numerical approximations: the approximation of the solution is written as a finite (and typically large) number of simple mathematical operations (algorithm), and a computer is used to perform these operations and compute an approximated solution and respective error[1].
Methods and Algorithms
Because computational physics is used in a broad class of problems, it is generally divided amongst the different mathematical problems it numerically solves, or the methods it applies. Between them, one can consider:
Applications
Due to the broad class of problems computational physics deals, it is an essential component of modern research in different areas of physics, namely: accelerator physics, astrophysics, fluid mechanics (computational fluid dynamics), lattice field theory/lattice gauge theory (especially lattice quantum chromodynamics), plasma physics (see plasma modeling), solid state physics, soft condensed matter physics, etc.
See also
- Important publications in computational physics
- Computational magnetohydrodynamics
- Division of Computational Physics (DCOMP) of the American Physical Society
- CECAM - Centre européen de calcul atomique et moléculaire
- Mathematical physics
- Open Source Physics, computational physics libraries and pedagogical tools
References
Other references
- A.K. Hartmann, Practical Guide to Computer Simulations, World Scientific (2009)
- International Journal of Modern Physics C (IJMPC): Physics and Computers, World Scientific
- Steven E. Koonin, Computational Physics, Addison-Wesley (1986)
- R.H. Landau, C.C. Bordeianu, and M. Jose Paez, A Survey of Computational Physics: Introductory Computational Science, Princeton University Press (2008)
- T. Pang, An Introduction to Computational Physics, Cambridge University Press (2010)
- J. Thijssen, Computational Physics, Cambridge University Press (2007)
External links
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| Divisions | - Applied physics
- Experimental physics
- Theoretical physics
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| Energy and motion | |
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| Waves and fields | - Gravitation
- Electromagnetism
- Quantum field theory
- Relativity
- Special relativity
- General relativity
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| | - Accelerator physics
- Acoustics
- Astrophysics
- Heliophysics
- Nuclear astrophysics
- Solar physics
- Space physics
- Stellar physics
- Atomic, molecular, and optical physics
- Chemical physics
- Computational physics
- Condensed matter physics
- Digital physics
- Engineering physics
- Material physics
- Mathematical physics
- Nuclear physics
- Optics
- Nonlinear optics
- Quantum optics
- Particle physics
- Astroparticle physics
- Phenomenology
- Plasma
- Polymer physics
- Statistical physics
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| | - Biophysics
- Biomechanics
- Medical physics
- Neurophysics
- Agrophysics
- Atmospheric physics
- Econophysics
- Geophysics
- Psychophysics
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