Questions tagged [computational-physics]
The bridge between theoretical and experimental physics which utilizes numerical analysis, specifically through the use of software, to solve problems in physics. This tag is NOT intended for use in solving problems on paper. Please note that details of writing and/or debugging code is OFF-TOPIC and should be asked at either Computational Science, Code Review or Stack Overflow.
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Is it necessary to consume energy to perform computation?
As far as I know, today most of the computers are made from semiconductor devices, so the energy consumed all turns into the heat emitted into space.
But I wonder, is it necessary to consume energy ...
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Can we infer the existence of periodic solutions to the three-body problem from numerical evidence?
I recently found out about the discovery of 13 beautiful periodic solutions to the three-body problem, described in the paper
Three Classes of Newtonian Three-Body Planar Periodic Orbits. Milovan ...
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Can lightning be used to solve NP-complete problems?
I'm a MS/BS computer science guy who is wondering about why lightning can't (or can?) be used to solve NP complete problems efficiently, but I don't understand the physics behind lightning, so I'm ...
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How were the Navier-Stokes equations found in the first place if we can't solve them?
I was reading up on the Clay Institute's Millenium prizes in mathematics.
And I noticed the Navier-Stokes equations were described as minimally understood.
As far as I was taught in physics a few ...
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Intuition for when the replica trick should work and why it works
I am a graduate student in mathematics working in probability (without a very good background in physics honestly) and I've started to see arguments based on computations derived from the replica ...
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Software for calculating Feynman Diagrams
Is there a software (open source preferred) where I would input something like "Ingoing: a fermion $(p1, s1)$ and a photon $(p2, s2)$. Output: A fermion $(k1, r1)$ and a photon $(k2, r2)$" and I would ...
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Is there any aspect of an explosion resulting from a nuclear weapon test that cannot be simulated using super computers?
This Washington Post news article states that with the advent of computer simulation of nuclear tests, live tests are no longer needed.
Generally speaking there are 3 aspects of an explosion ...
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How does a particle know how to behave? [duplicate]
How does a particle know it should behave in such and such manner?
As a person, I can set mass is so and so, charge is so and so - then set up equation to solve its equation of motion but who ...
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How do computers "solve" the three-body-problem?
I've done a bit of research, and have learned that computers "solve" the three-body-problem by using "Numerical methods for ordinary differential equations", but I can't really find anything about it ...
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Programming in physics [closed]
How important is programming in physics?
I am studying physics at university and these first years there is actually no approach (as it is understandable) to what working in physics is like. Now, I ...
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Home-made lattice calculation?
The topic of Lattice QCD or Lattice gauge theory or even Lattice field theory is quite old now. And the main reason for the interest in the topic is the ability to calculate nonperturbative stuff on a ...
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How efficient is a desktop computer?
As I understand it (and admittedly it's a weak grasp), a computer processes information irreversibly (AND gates, for example), and therefore has some minimum entropy increase associated with its ...
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What do theoretical physicists need from computer scientists?
I recently co-authored a paper (not online yet unfortunately) with some chemists that essentially provided answers to the question, "What do chemists need from computer scientists?" This included the ...
Aaron Sterling
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How can one obtain the metric tensor numerically?
I am self-studying General Relativity.
Is there a method for obtaining the metric tensor exterior to a specified mass distribution numerically? In the simplest case of a spherical mass this should ...
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How many qubits are needed for useful computation?
Seeing the news about 14 entangled states today @ Innsbruck:
I haven't found a clear guide online to how many qubits we are aiming for a first practical quantum computer,
e.g.
Factorization,
Search ...
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