Computational Science

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What Does Computational Science Mean?

Computational science is the application of computer science and software engineering principles to solving scientific problems. It involves the use of computing hardware, networking, algorithms, programming, databases and other domain-specific knowledge to design simulations of physical phenomena to run on computers. Computational science crosses disciplines and can even involve the humanities.

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Techopedia Explains Computational Science

While scientists have been using computers in their research since they were invented, the increasing power of new hardware in recent years has made it possible to create simulations of complexity that have been previously unimaginable, such as particle physics. Computational science is the harnessing of knowledge of hardware, algorithms and other scientific knowledge to simulate the physical world on powerful supercomputers.

Computational science is multidisciplinary, involving scholars in the physical sciences, computer scientists, software engineers, even people in the arts and humanities. Techniques usually involve numerical simulations.

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Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert
Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert

Margaret is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical business audience. Over the past twenty years, her IT definitions have been published by Que in an encyclopedia of technology terms and cited in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine, and Discovery Magazine. She joined Techopedia in 2011. Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages.