1

I am writing a discrete event simulation engine. I am trying to figure out if there is anything that I cannot model. (As my system uses a time step as basic unit of change).

I can think of some phenomena Y that are only dependent on X... but then X is dependent on time. So in the end, Y is dependent on time.

In other words, I am trying to poke holes in my model, so that I can configure it optimally to be able to model as much as possible. Any suggestions on things are that are maximally time-independent would be very nice to hear.

1 Answers1

3

Yes there are such questions and models in physics - statics (static mechanics), electrostatics (static EM theory) and equilibrium thermodynamics come to mind. These are often some kind of minimization problem.

Example:

We are given system of three weights of equal mass $m$ hanging off a single string at distance $l$ from each other when the string is straight. The string is hanging in gravity field on two pulleys that are fixed at the same height and separated by horizontal distance $d<2l$. Determine stable equilibrium configuration of this system (height of each weight).