Fractals in the World

[Kanamori]

What are some of the ways fractals are used or appear in the world? (Kinda for a school project for extension of mathematical knowledge into the real world). E.g., how the US military distinguishes natural land from man-made building by comparing fractal order. Also, I would imagine using a sphere somehow or possibly other figures like a cube, etc., but how does one determine the fractal order of some three-dimensional object?

[The_Doctor]

What is a fractal?

I am pretty good at maths, but I do not think I have ever heard of a fractal.

Is it an American thing?

[Big_John]

not sure about uses.. but some examples of fractal patterns that "appear in the world" include:

- plants.. leaf, branch and root development can all be described in terms of fractals. fern fronds are a specific example that comes to mind.

- nautilus shells (or any natural spiral afaik).

- erosion patterns. a specific example would be the branching of drainage basins. similar bifurcation can be seen in lightning.

- mountains.. any landscape really, can be described by fractal geometry.


honestly i can't think of much that fractals wouldn't work for..


edit btw matinus: fractals

[Paul Peru]

Fractals appear most conspicuously in plants such as ferns, cauliflower etc.
Here's something about fractals in erosion:
http://www.forester.net/ecm_0205_fractal.html
The article also explains fractals in general, Martinus.

A fractal is essentially anything that shows self-similarity at different levels of magnification.

It's not an American thing, even though images of Mandelbrot sets tend to have very loud colours.

[The_Doctor]

A fractal is essentially anything that shows self-similarity at different levels of magnification.

Like that glass pyramid in front of the L'ouvr (SP) in Paris.

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

Gah, I'm having trouble getting my head around the idea of something having non-integer dimensions...

[The_Doctor]

Would having a picture with the same picture in it, with the same picture in it, etc, be a fractal?

After reading that article, fractals sound cool.

[Kanamori]

Fractal art

Julia sets
(they're the one's that hippies make w/ imaginary numbers)

[ah_dut]

Gah, I'm having trouble getting my head around the idea of something having non-integer dimensions...

You have no idea...my maths teacher was trying to teach me that last year I was 12...