Fractals in physics Fractals deal with a very confusing spectrum view on eternity. They deal with the forth dimension. The forth dimension is the outlook an life and time where the speed of the passing of time is contained in an infinite space, but that there are infinite of these universes. They are separated by an infinite membrane, that is every where but has no mass or force whatsoever, and effects nothing it contains either. Fractals can be used to show this infinite code because a similar code is used in their creation. Fractals use a infinite mathematical code, where the is answer is put back into the code and repeated. The membranes cover a infinite amount of space, and this can only be showed by a infinite code of its own. Same goes with the universes contained within these membranes. The sharing of this infinite code is what links fractals to physics, and it shows how they can be used to explain it.
Non-computer Fractals “Fractals are a recently discovered class of geometrical forms that create familiar but irregular patterns ranging over variations in size.”[ www.artmag.com ]
You may have seen the bright colored computer images. But fractals are more than just the plaything of a bored computerist. They can connect to almost everything we know. They can be used to predict the prices of gasoline, or be used to help understand the string theory. The first known use of fractals in economics was in Athens, Greece. A young scholar was examining the prices of cotton. The price changed daily, and there seemed to be no mathematical pattern to the changes what so ever. If you look at them on a small scale, there isn't. After a while he realized this. After he looked at the changes in price over a large period of time, he realized that it followed a similar pattern. Even still, it was impossible to perfectly predict the prices because they follow the pattern closely, not exactly. The same can be used to predict the prices of gasoline. This is an example of a pre-computer fractal.
Another example is in how a tree will grow. Two trees may have identical DNA, and yet won't be identical. They will be similar, but not identical. Just like prices of cotton or gasoline. Flames are another perfect example of non-computer fractals. Every time a flames forms there is a different pattern. Even though there is no pattern, there will still be smaller flames no matter how close you get. Mountains are also a form of fractal. A mountain is not just a cone, if you look closely at the mountain there will be smaller peaks coming out of it, and smaller peaks coming out of those peaks. Even if you looked at a rock on the mountain, it would have a similar structure as the mountain itself.
Fractals in animation You know a lot about fractals by now, but you probably didn't know that they are used in a lot of movies these days. They are used mainly in the special effects division. Fractals are used to generate backgrounds for movies, but they are also commonly used to generate fantasy characters. Whenever a character cannot be played by an actor, it has to be generated by some sort of fractal generator. Think about how much better the special effects in movies has become. This is because the fractal generators used have become more advanced as well.
At first it may seem like the computers do all the work. Well they don't. To create the characters and/or backgrounds the computer artist doesn't use just the filters as many do, he has to edit the mathematical code in order to customize it. Fractal generators allow you to create a 3D model of the character. They can then animate it without having to redraw the image multiple times.
Links
http://library.thinkquest.org/3288/
http://classes.yale.edu/fractals/
http://library.thinkquest.org/3493/frames/fractal.html
http://kluge.in-chemnitz.de/documents/fractal/node2.html
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