Simulation

For other uses, see Simulation (disambiguation). Not to be confused with Stimulation or Emulation (computing). "Simulator" redirects here. For other uses, see Simulator (disambiguation). "Simulate" redirects here. For the food technology company also known as NUGGS, see Simulate (company).

Part of a series on
Research
A laptop computer next to archival materials
Research design
Research strategy
Philosophical schools
Methodology
Methods
Tools and software
Philosophy portal

A simulation is an imitative representation of a process or system that could exist in the real world.[1][2][3] In this broad sense, simulation can often be used interchangeably with model.[2] Sometimes a clear distinction between the two terms is made, in which simulations require the use of models; the model represents the key characteristics or behaviors of the selected system or process, whereas the simulation represents the evolution of the model over time.[3] Another way to distinguish between the terms is to define simulation as experimentation with the help of a model.[4] This definition includes time-independent simulations. Often, computers are used to execute the simulation.

Simulation is used in many contexts, such as simulation of technology for performance tuning or optimizing, safety engineering, testing, training, education, and video games. Simulation is also used with scientific modelling of natural systems or human systems to gain insight into their functioning,[5] as in economics. Simulation can be used to show the eventual real effects of alternative conditions and courses of action. Simulation is also used when the real system cannot be engaged, because it may not be accessible, or it may be dangerous or unacceptable to engage, or it is being designed but not yet built, or it may simply not exist.[6]

Key issues in modeling and simulation include the acquisition of valid sources of information about the relevant selection of key characteristics and behaviors used to build the model, the use of simplifying approximations and assumptions within the model, and fidelity and validity of the simulation outcomes. Procedures and protocols for model verification and validation are an ongoing field of academic study, refinement, research and development in simulations technology or practice, particularly in the work of computer simulation.

  1. ^ "simulation, n. meanings, etymology and more | Oxford English Dictionary". www.oed.com. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  2. ^ a b Cambridge University Press (2023). "SIMULATION | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary". Cambridge Dictionary. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  3. ^ a b J. Banks; J. Carson; B. Nelson; D. Nicol (2001). Discrete-Event System Simulation. Prentice Hall. p. 3. ISBN 978-0-13-088702-3.
  4. ^ White, K. Preston; Ingalls, Ricki G. (December 2015). "Introduction to simulation". 2015 Winter Simulation Conference (WSC). pp. 1741–1755. doi:10.1109/WSC.2015.7408292. ISBN 978-1-4673-9743-8.
  5. ^ In the words of the Simulation article Archived 10 December 2017 at the Wayback Machine in Encyclopedia of Computer Science, "designing a model of a real or imagined system and conducting experiments with that model".
  6. ^ Sokolowski, J.A.; Banks, C.M. (2009). Principles of Modeling and Simulation. John Wiley & Son. p. 6. ISBN 978-0-470-28943-3.