Small Things Can Have A Big Impact (Chaos Effect)
The butterfly effect is the name given to small changes in the initial data of a system that can have large and unpredictable results.(Chaos Effect)
The so-called butterfly effect was discovered by Edward N. Lorenz in 1963 when he was making a calculation about the weather. So how did he find it?
When Lorenz was calculating the weather, he first used the number 0.506127 as the starting number of the event.
In the second calculation, the number 0.506 was accepted as the starting point. So there was a one-thousandth difference between the two numbers.
In other words, this ratio expresses the same probability as the wind created by the flapping of a butterfly’s wings.
However, despite this difference; While the process is taking place, the value used in the 2nd calculation causes a very different situation when the result is reached.
In other words, although the numbers are very close to each other, there are differences in the results. Lorenz called this “chaos theory”.
In non-linear systems, a very small difference in inputs can cause huge differences in outputs.
Edward N. Lorenz, in an example of the butterfly effect, said, “A butterfly flapping its wings in the Amazon Forest can cause a storm break in the USA.
For a different example, the flapping of a butterfly’s wings could cause a hurricane that could travel halfway around the Earth.” he said.
The name of chaos theory, on the other hand, refers to the growth of a created chaos.
Lorenz notices this effect in the weather forecast he is trying to put forward and observes that there are many different variables in this forecast and it becomes very complex.
In short, even very small probabilities can lead to a very different estimation.
So he arrives at the theory that only short-term weather forecasts can be made.
Why is it called the butterfly effect?
The butterfly expression in the example Lorenz used to describe the chaos theory caused this theory to be called the butterfly effect.
However, this statement, which cannot be proven, remains in theory.
This situation is often used as an example when a small impact can cause chaos.
When we apply the butterfly effect to daily life, the result is that every move made is valuable.
Things that seem small can have a big impact.