The Rundown on some Computational Physics Tools
Not every computational software package serves every Computational need equally well. Below is alist of common uses of software packages:
Mathematica: A high power software that allows for analytical uses such as solving equations, differentiation, Fourier transforms etc. These features are often used by theoretical physicists. Also, includesgreat visualization tools such as three dimensional graphing and animation tools. Recent versions have brought improvements in user friendliness by providing alternatives to all-text syntaxes using boltons with visuals of traditional mathematical notation.
MathCad: A software similar to Mathematica geared towards user friendliness and more industry targeted.
Origin: A data analysis software capable of manipulating large volumes of data on spreadsheets. Custom curve fitting, image processing using fast Fourier transforms (FFT).
Matlab: Computational software based matrix structures. Input commands look similar to C++ code. C++ code can be embedded. Very flexible in analysis. Syntax takes some time to learn. Some programming experience advisable. Often used to process and analyze images.
Wolfram Alpha: Top free online quick reference and analysis tool with a database of scientific data such as atomic masses and spectral lines. This is a great tool for quick calculations such as derivatives and integrals. Other features include graphing and statistical analysis. The site has a 'ping' function and odd facts. This is a fun site for everyone to play with.
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