The renormalization group (RG) is a mathematical and conceptual framework used in theoretical physics to study changes in a physical system as one looks at it at different scales. It is particularly prominent in quantum field theory, statistical mechanics, and condensed matter physics. The central idea behind the RG is that the properties of a system can change when one changes the scale at which one observes it.
The Sakuma–Hattori equation is a mathematical expression used in the field of physical chemistry to describe the adsorption of gases on solid surfaces, particularly under conditions that deviate from the ideal behavior. This equation is valuable in modeling how gas molecules interact with solid materials and is particularly useful in studies related to catalysis, materials science, and surface chemistry.
"Symmetry breaking of escaping ants" typically refers to a phenomenon observed in collective behavior and decision-making processes among groups of animals—in this case, ants. The term "symmetry breaking" is commonly used in physics and mathematics to describe a situation where a system that is initially symmetrical evolves into an asymmetric state due to certain interactions or conditions.
The square lattice Ising model is a mathematical model used in statistical physics to understand phase transitions and critical phenomena, particularly in the study of ferromagnetism. It consists of a two-dimensional square grid (lattice) where each site (or node) of the lattice can exist in one of two possible states, typically represented as +1 (spin up) or -1 (spin down).
Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA) is a method used for predicting and analyzing the dynamic behavior of complex vibrating systems, particularly when dealing with systems that involve multiple components or subsystems. It is particularly useful in fields such as mechanical engineering, acoustics, and structural dynamics. Here’s an overview of its key aspects: ### Key Concepts: 1. **Energy Distribution**: - SEA is based on the distribution of vibrational energy among different modes and components of a system.
Stochastic thermodynamics is a branch of statistical mechanics that extends classical thermodynamics to systems that are small enough to be influenced by random fluctuations, particularly at the microscopic or nanoscale. It combines principles of thermodynamics with stochastic processes to describe the behavior of systems where thermal fluctuations play a significant role.
Cyberdog is a term that can refer to a couple of different things depending on the context. Here are the two most common references: 1. **Cyberdog (Robotics)**: Cyberdog is often associated with robotics and artificial intelligence, particularly in the context of robotic dogs. These robotic companions are designed to interact with humans, perform specific tasks, or provide companionship. Notable examples include Boston Dynamics' Spot robot, which has gained popularity for its agility and capabilities.
Thermal fluctuations refer to the spontaneous and random variations in a system's properties due to thermal energy at a given temperature. These fluctuations arise from the thermal motion of particles within a material and are a fundamental aspect of statistical mechanics and thermodynamics. At a microscopic level, even at temperatures above absolute zero, particles (such as atoms and molecules) exhibit random motion due to thermal energy.
Thermodynamic integration is a computational method used in statistical mechanics and thermodynamics to compute free energy differences between two states of a system. It is particularly useful for systems where direct calculation of the free energy is challenging. The basic principle of thermodynamic integration involves gradually changing a parameter that defines the system's Hamiltonian from one state to another, while integrating over a specified path in the parameter space.
Collostructional analysis is a method used in linguistics, particularly in the study of language within a construction grammar framework. It focuses on the relationship between words and constructions (the patterns through which meaning is conveyed) in language use. The term "collostruction" itself combines "collocation" and "construction," highlighting how certain words co-occur with specific constructions.
"Dissociated Press" is a term often used humorously or as a play on words based on the name of the "Associated Press," a well-known news organization. It may refer to parodic news satire or a source that produces content that deliberately distorts or mixes up facts and narratives for comedic or critical effect. Additionally, "Dissociated Press" can also refer to specific creative projects or endeavors that blend journalism with absurdity or non-traditional storytelling.
Topological order is a linear ordering of the vertices of a directed acyclic graph (DAG) such that for every directed edge \( uv \) from vertex \( u \) to vertex \( v \), vertex \( u \) comes before vertex \( v \) in the ordering. This concept is particularly useful in scenarios where certain tasks must be performed in a specific order, such as scheduling problems, course prerequisite systems, and dependency resolution.
The Tsallis distribution is a probability distribution that arises from the generalized statistical mechanics framework proposed by the Brazilian physicist Constantino Tsallis. It generalizes the Boltzmann-Gibbs statistics, which are applicable in traditional thermodynamics, to systems that exhibit non-extensive behavior. This non-extensive behavior often arises in complex systems, such as those found in fractals, socio-economic systems, and some biological systems.
The ACE model typically refers to the "ACE" (Adverse Childhood Experiences) framework, which is used to understand the impact of childhood trauma on long-term health and well-being. This model emphasizes the correlation between adverse experiences in childhood—such as abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction—and various negative outcomes later in life, including physical and mental health problems. However, "ACE" can also refer to other contexts depending on the specific field.
A parametric model is a type of statistical or mathematical model that is characterized by a finite set of parameters. In parametric modeling, we assume that the underlying data or phenomenon can be described by a specific mathematical function or distribution, which is defined by these parameters.
The term "ultraviolet fixed point" often arises in the context of quantum field theory, statistical mechanics, and other areas of theoretical physics. In general, a **fixed point** refers to a set of parameters in a theory (such as coupling constants) for which the behavior of the system does not change under changes in the scale (i.e., under renormalization group transformations). The scale could be related to energy, temperature, or other physical dimensions.
The Vertex model is a framework primarily used in statistical mechanics, particularly in the study of two-dimensional lattice systems, such as in the context of the Ising model or general models of phase transitions. It is a way of representing interactions between spins or particles in a lattice. ### Key Features of the Vertex Model: 1. **Lattice Representation**: The vertex model is often depicted on a lattice, where vertices represent the states or configurations of the system.
The virial expansion is a series expansion used in statistical mechanics and thermodynamics to describe the behavior of gases. It relates the pressure of a gas to its density and temperature through a power series in density. The significance of the virial expansion lies in its ability to account for interactions between particles in a gas, which are not considered in the ideal gas law.
Widom scaling is a concept in statistical physics that is used to describe the behavior of systems near a critical point, particularly in the context of phase transitions. It is named after the physicist Bruce Widom, who contributed to the understanding of critical phenomena. In the study of phase transitions, particularly continuous or second-order phase transitions, physical quantities such as correlation length, order parameter, and specific heat exhibit singular behavior as the system approaches the critical point.

Pinned article: Introduction to the OurBigBook Project

Welcome to the OurBigBook Project! Our goal is to create the perfect publishing platform for STEM subjects, and get university-level students to write the best free STEM tutorials ever.
Everyone is welcome to create an account and play with the site: ourbigbook.com/go/register. We belive that students themselves can write amazing tutorials, but teachers are welcome too. You can write about anything you want, it doesn't have to be STEM or even educational. Silly test content is very welcome and you won't be penalized in any way. Just keep it legal!
We have two killer features:
  1. topics: topics group articles by different users with the same title, e.g. here is the topic for the "Fundamental Theorem of Calculus" ourbigbook.com/go/topic/fundamental-theorem-of-calculus
    Articles of different users are sorted by upvote within each article page. This feature is a bit like:
    • a Wikipedia where each user can have their own version of each article
    • a Q&A website like Stack Overflow, where multiple people can give their views on a given topic, and the best ones are sorted by upvote. Except you don't need to wait for someone to ask first, and any topic goes, no matter how narrow or broad
    This feature makes it possible for readers to find better explanations of any topic created by other writers. And it allows writers to create an explanation in a place that readers might actually find it.
    Figure 1.
    Screenshot of the "Derivative" topic page
    . View it live at: ourbigbook.com/go/topic/derivative
  2. local editing: you can store all your personal knowledge base content locally in a plaintext markup format that can be edited locally and published either:
    This way you can be sure that even if OurBigBook.com were to go down one day (which we have no plans to do as it is quite cheap to host!), your content will still be perfectly readable as a static site.
    Figure 5. . You can also edit articles on the Web editor without installing anything locally.
    Video 3.
    Edit locally and publish demo
    . Source. This shows editing OurBigBook Markup and publishing it using the Visual Studio Code extension.
  3. https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ourbigbook/ourbigbook-media/master/feature/x/hilbert-space-arrow.png
  4. Infinitely deep tables of contents:
    Figure 6.
    Dynamic article tree with infinitely deep table of contents
    .
    Descendant pages can also show up as toplevel e.g.: ourbigbook.com/cirosantilli/chordate-subclade
All our software is open source and hosted at: github.com/ourbigbook/ourbigbook
Further documentation can be found at: docs.ourbigbook.com
Feel free to reach our to us for any help or suggestions: docs.ourbigbook.com/#contact