Electronic Scale

Abstract

Major computational advances in predicting the electronic and structural properties of matter come from two sources: improved performance of hardware and the creation of new algorithms, i.e., software. Improved hardware follows technical advances in computer design and electronic components. Such advances are frequently characterized by Moore’s Law, which states that computer power will double every 2 years or so. This law has held true for the past 20 or 30 years and most workers expect it to hold for the next decade, suggesting that such technical advances can be predicted.