Simulation software

Simulation software is software that models a real phenomenon with a set of mathematical formulas. It allows a user to see the results of an action without actually performing that action. Simulation software is widely used to design equipment such that the final product will be as close to design specs as possible. Simulation software that runs real-time is used often in gaming, but also has important industrial applications. When the penalty for improper operation is costly, such as when piloting an airplane or operating a nuclear power plant, a mock up of the actual control panel is connected to a real-time simulation of the physical response, allowing valuable training without consequences.

Advanced computer programs can simulate power system behavior, weather conditions, electronic circuits, chemical reactions, mechatronics, heat pumps, feedback control systems, atomic reactions, light, and even complex biological processes. In theory, any phenomena that can be reduced to mathematical data and equations can be simulated on a computer. Simulation can be difficult because most natural phenomena are subject to an almost infinite number of influences or unknown source of causes. Part of developing useful simulations is determing what the most important factors are that affect the simulation.

In addition to imitating processes to see how they behave under different conditions, simulations are also used to test new theories. After creating a theory of causal relationships, the theorist can codify the relationships in the form of a computer program. If the program then behaves in the same way as the real process, it's likely that the proposed relationships are correct.