MONTE-CARLO TECHNIQUES
Many people are attracted to computing by its deterministic nature
leaving nothing to chance. Barring random machine error or using
undefined variables, you get the same output every time you feed your
program the same input. Nevertheless, a popular computer pastime is
``Monte-Carlo'' techniques in which the computer generates what
appears to be a series of random numbers. These ``pseudo'' random numbers
are then used to either simulate naturally random processes,
such as the thermal motion of particles or radioactive decay, or to
approximate the performance of some mathematical operation. Indeed, much
of the recognition of computational physics as a specialty has come
about from the ability of computers to solve previously intractable
thermodynamic and field theory problems using Monte-Carlo techniques.
In this chapter we will show how to produce
random numbers, walk around randomly,
simulate radioactive decay
and calculate 
in a rather unusual way.
Next: Random Number Generators
Author:
Rubin H. Landau
rubin@physics.orst.edu
WWW Implementation:
Hans Kowallik
kowallih@ucs.orst.edu