An Introduction to Computer Simulation Methods Third Edition (revised) Documents

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Main Document

CSM Third Edition Revised (Draft) 

written by Harvey Gould, Jan Tobochnik, and Wolfgang Christian

The complete revised Third Edition for An Introduction to Computer Simulation Methods Third Edition by Harvey Gould, Jan Tobochnik, and Wolfgang Christian.

Last Modified September 15, 2016

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Supplemental Documents (22)

CSM Preface and Table of Contents 

Frontmatter for an Introduction to Computer Simulation Methods.

Last Modified September 15, 2016

CSM Ch 1: Introduction (Draft) 

The importance of computers in physics and the nature of
computer simulation is discussed. The nature of object-oriented
programming and various computer languages also is considered.

Last Modified February 11, 2011

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CSM Ch 2: Tools for Doing Simulations (Draft) 

We introduce some of the core syntax of Java in the context of
simulating the motion of falling particles near the Earth's surface. A
simple algorithm for solving first-order differential equations numerically
also is discussed.

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CSM Ch 3: Simulating Particle Motion (Draft) 

We discuss several numerical methods needed to simulate the motion of particles using Newton's laws and introduce interfaces, an important Java construct that makes it possible for unrelated objects to declare that they perform the same methods.

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CSM Ch 4: Simple Harmonic Motion (Draft) 

We explore the behavior of oscillatory systems, including the simple harmonic oscillator, a simple pendulum, electrical circuits, and introduce the concept of phase space.

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CSM Ch 5: Planetary Motion (Draft) 

We apply Newton's laws of motion to planetary motion and other systems of a few particles and explore some of the counter-intuitive consequences of Newton's laws.

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CSM Ch 6: The Chaotic Motion of Dynamical Systems (Draft) 

We study simple nonlinear deterministic models that exhibit chaotic behavior. We will find that the use of the computer to do numerical experiments will help us gain insight into the nature of chaos.

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CSM Ch 7: Random Processes (Draft) 

Random processes are introduced in the context of several simple physical systems, including random walks on a lattice, polymers, and diffusion controlled chemical reactions. The generation of random number sequences also is discussed.

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CSM Ch 8: The Dynamics of Many Particle Systems (Draft) 

We simulate the dynamical behavior of many particle systems such as dense gases, liquids, and solids and observe their qualitative features. Some of the basic ideas of equilibrium statistical mechanics and kinetic theory are introduced.

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CSM Ch 9: Coupled Oscillators and Normal Modes (Draft) 

We discuss the physics of wave phenomena and the motivation and use of Fourier transforms.

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CSM Ch 10: Electrodynamics (Draft) 

We compute the electric fields due to static and moving charges, describe methods for computing the electric potential in boundary value problems, and solve Maxwell's equations numerically.

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CSM Ch 11: Numerical and Monte Carlo Methods (Draft) 

Simple classical and Monte Carlo methods including importance sampling are illustrated in the context of the numerical evaluation of definite integrals.

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CSM Ch 12: Percolation (Draft) 

We introduce several geometrical concepts associated with percolation, including the percolation threshold, clusters, and cluster finding algorithms. We also introduce the ideas of critical phenomena in the context of the percolation transition, including critical exponents, scaling relations, and the renormalization group.

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CSM Ch 13: Fractals and Kinetic Growth Models (Draft) 

We introduce the concept of fractal dimension and discuss several processes that generate fractal objects.

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CSM Ch 14: Complex Systems (Draft) 

We introduce cellular automata, neural networks, genetic algorithms, and growing networks to explore the concepts of self-organization and complexity. Applications to sandpiles, fluids, earthquakes, and other areas are discussed.

Last Modified February 11, 2011

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CSM Ch 15: Monte Carlo Simulations of Thermal Systems (Draft) 

We discuss how to simulate thermal systems using a variety of Monte Carlo methods including the traditional Metropolis
algorithm. Applications to the Ising model and various particle systems are discussed and more efficient Monte Carlo algorithms are introduced.

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CSM Ch 16: Quantum Systems (Draft) 

We discuss numerical solutions of the time-independent and time-dependent Schroedinger equation and describe several Monte Carlo methods for estimating the ground state of quantum systems.

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CSM Ch 17: Visualization and Rigid Body Dynamics (Draft) 

We study affine transformations in order to visualize objects in three dimensions. We then solve Euler's equation of motion for rigid body dynamics using the quaternion representation of rotations.

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CSM Ch 18: Seeing in Special and General Relativity (Draft) 

We compute how objects appear at relativistic speeds and in the vicinity of a large spherically symmetric mass.

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CSM Epilogue: The Unity of Physics (Draft) 

We emphasize that the methods we have discussed can be applied to a wide variety of natural phenomena and contexts.

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CSM Updates and Corrections 

Updates and errata to An Introduction to Computer Simulation Methods Third Edition.

Last Modified November 24, 2013

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CSM Review 

Computing in Science and Engineering book review of An Introduction to Computer Simulation Methods.

Last Modified February 11, 2011