attractor

[əˈtræktər]

attractor Definition

a mathematical set or point toward which a system tends to evolve, regardless of the starting conditions.

Using attractor: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "attractor" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

• Example

  The attractor of a pendulum is its lowest point.

• Example

  The butterfly effect describes how small changes in initial conditions can lead to vastly different outcomes in a chaotic system's attractor.

• Example

  In chaos theory, the Lorenz attractor is a set of chaotic solutions to a system of differential equations.

attractor Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for attractor

• magnet
• center
• focus

Phrases with attractor

• strange attractor

  a type of attractor that exhibits fractal properties and is found in chaotic systems

  Example

  The strange attractor of the double pendulum is a complex, self-similar shape.

• attractor basin

  the set of all initial conditions that converge to a particular attractor

  Example

  The attractor basin of the Lorenz attractor is a butterfly-shaped region in phase space.

• global attractor

  an attractor that attracts all trajectories in a system

  Example

  The global attractor of the damped wave equation is a single point in phase space.

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Summary: attractor in Brief

An 'attractor' [əˈtræktər] is a mathematical set or point towards which a system tends to evolve, regardless of the starting conditions. It is often used in the context of chaos theory to describe the behavior of complex systems. Phrases like 'strange attractor' and 'attractor basin' refer to specific types of attractors with unique properties. 'Attractor' is synonymous with 'center' and 'focus.'