All Topics  
Hyperbolic growth

 

   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link






 

Hyperbolic growth



 
 
When a quantity grows towards a singularity
Mathematical singularity

In mathematics, a singularity is in general a point at which a given mathematical object is not defined, or a point of an exceptional Set where it fails to be well-behaved in some particular way, such as derivative....
 under a finite variation it is said to undergo hyperbolic growth. More precisely, the reciprocal function has a hyperbola
Hyperbola

In mathematics a hyperbola is a smooth function planar curve having two connected components or branches, each a mirror image of the other and resembling two infinite bow aimed at each other....
 as a graph, and has a singularity at 0, meaning that the limit
Limit

A limit can be:* Limit , including:** Limit of a function** Limit of a sequence** One-sided limit** Limit superior and limit inferior** Net ...
 as is infinity: any similar graph is said to exhibit hyperbolic growth.

he output of a function is inversely proportional to its input, or inversely proportional to the difference from a given value , the function will exhibit hyperbolic growth, with a singularity at .

Hyperbolic growth can also be created by certain non-linear positive feedback
Positive feedback

Positive feedback, sometimes referred to as "cumulative causation", is a feedback loop system in which the system responds to Perturbation of biological system in the same direction as the perturbation....
 mechanisms.

exponential growth
Exponential growth

Exponential growth occurs when the growth rate of a mathematical function is proportionality to the function's current value. In the case of a discrete domain of definition with equal intervals it is also called geometric growth or geometric decay ....
 and logistic growth, hyperbolic growth is highly nonlinear, but differs in important respects. These functions can be confused, as exponential growth, hyperbolic growth, and the first half of logistic growth are convex function
Convex function

In mathematics, a real-valued function f defined on an interval is called convex, concave upwards, concave up or convex cup, if for any two points x and y in its domain C and any t in [0,1], we have...
s; however their asymptotic behavior (behavior as input gets large) differs dramatically:

ain mathematical models suggest that until the early 1990s the world population
World population

The world population is the total number of living humans on Earth at a given time. As of March 2009, the world's population is estimated to be about 6.76 1,000,000,000 ....
 underwent hyperbolic growth (see, e.g., Korotayev et al.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Hyperbolic growth'
Start a new discussion about 'Hyperbolic growth'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


When a quantity grows towards a singularity
Mathematical singularity

In mathematics, a singularity is in general a point at which a given mathematical object is not defined, or a point of an exceptional Set where it fails to be well-behaved in some particular way, such as derivative....
 under a finite variation it is said to undergo hyperbolic growth. More precisely, the reciprocal function has a hyperbola
Hyperbola

In mathematics a hyperbola is a smooth function planar curve having two connected components or branches, each a mirror image of the other and resembling two infinite bow aimed at each other....
 as a graph, and has a singularity at 0, meaning that the limit
Limit

A limit can be:* Limit , including:** Limit of a function** Limit of a sequence** One-sided limit** Limit superior and limit inferior** Net ...
 as is infinity: any similar graph is said to exhibit hyperbolic growth.

Description

If the output of a function is inversely proportional to its input, or inversely proportional to the difference from a given value , the function will exhibit hyperbolic growth, with a singularity at .

Hyperbolic growth can also be created by certain non-linear positive feedback
Positive feedback

Positive feedback, sometimes referred to as "cumulative causation", is a feedback loop system in which the system responds to Perturbation of biological system in the same direction as the perturbation....
 mechanisms.

Comparisons with other growth

Like exponential growth
Exponential growth

Exponential growth occurs when the growth rate of a mathematical function is proportionality to the function's current value. In the case of a discrete domain of definition with equal intervals it is also called geometric growth or geometric decay ....
 and logistic growth, hyperbolic growth is highly nonlinear, but differs in important respects. These functions can be confused, as exponential growth, hyperbolic growth, and the first half of logistic growth are convex function
Convex function

In mathematics, a real-valued function f defined on an interval is called convex, concave upwards, concave up or convex cup, if for any two points x and y in its domain C and any t in [0,1], we have...
s; however their asymptotic behavior (behavior as input gets large) differs dramatically:
  • logistic growth is constrained (has a finite limit, even as time goes to infinity),
  • exponential growth grows to infinity as time goes to infinity (but is always finite for finite time),
  • while hyperbolic growth has a singularity in finite time (grows to infinity at a finite time).


Applications


Population

Certain mathematical models suggest that until the early 1990s the world population
World population

The world population is the total number of living humans on Earth at a given time. As of March 2009, the world's population is estimated to be about 6.76 1,000,000,000 ....
 underwent hyperbolic growth (see, e.g., Korotayev et al. 2006). Other models suggest exponential growth, logistic growth, or other functions.

Queuing theory

Another example of hyperbolic growth can be found in queuing theory: the average waiting time of randomly arriving customers grows hyperbolically as a function of the average load ratio of the server. The singularity in this case occurs when the average amount of work arriving to the server equals the server's processing capacity. If the processing needs exceed the server's capacity, then there is no well-defined average waiting time, as the queue can grow without bound. A practical implication of this particular example is that for highly loaded queuing systems the average waiting time can be extremely sensitive to the processing capacity.

Enzyme kinetics

A further practical example of hyperbolic growth can be found in enzyme kinetics
Enzyme kinetics

Enzyme kinetics is the study of the chemical reactions that are catalyst by enzymes, with a focus on their reaction rates. The study of an enzyme's chemical kinetics reveals the catalytic mechanism of this enzyme, its role in metabolism, how its activity is controlled, and how a drug or a poison might enzyme inhibitor the enzyme....
. When the rate of reaction (termed velocity) between an enzyme
Enzyme

Enzymes are biomolecules that catalysis chemical reactions. Almost all enzymes are proteins. In enzymatic reactions, the molecules at the beginning of the process are called Substrate , and the enzyme converts them into different molecules, the products....
 and substrate
Substrate (biochemistry)

In biochemistry, a substrate is a molecule upon which an enzyme acts. Enzymes catalysis chemical reactions involving the substrate. The substrate binds with the enzyme active site, and an enzyme-substrate complex is formed....
 is plotted against various concentrations of the substrate, a hyperbolic plot is obtained for many simpler systems. When this happens, the enzyme is said to follow Michaelis-Menton
Enzyme kinetics

Enzyme kinetics is the study of the chemical reactions that are catalyst by enzymes, with a focus on their reaction rates. The study of an enzyme's chemical kinetics reveals the catalytic mechanism of this enzyme, its role in metabolism, how its activity is controlled, and how a drug or a poison might enzyme inhibitor the enzyme....
  kinetics.

Mathematical example


The function exhibits hyperbolic growth with a singularity at time : in the limit
Limit

A limit can be:* Limit , including:** Limit of a function** Limit of a sequence** One-sided limit** Limit superior and limit inferior** Net ...
 as , the function goes to infinity.

More generally, the function exhibits hyperbolic growth, where is a scale factor (how fast it grows).

See also

  • Heinz von Foerster
    Heinz von Foerster

    Heinz von Foerster was an Austrian American scientist combining physics and philosophy. Together with Warren McCulloch, Norbert Wiener, John von Neumann, Lawrence J....
  • Technological singularity
    Technological singularity

    The technological singularity is a theoretical future point of unprecedented technological progress?typically associated with advancements in computer hardware or the ability of machines to improve themselves using artificial intelligence....
  • Paradigm shift
    Paradigm shift

    Paradigm shift is the term first used by Thomas Samuel Kuhn in his influential book The Structure of Scientific Revolutions to describe a change in basic assumptions within the ruling theory of science....
  • List of paradigm shifts in science
  • Scientific mythology
    Scientific mythology

    Scientific mythology comprises a collection of anecdotes that inform the public understanding of the history of science and the history of technology....
  • Social effect of evolutionary theory
    Social effect of evolutionary theory

    The social effects of evolutionary thought have been considerable. As the scientific explanation of life's diversity has developed, it has often displaced alternative, sometimes very widely held, explanations....
  • Deep ecology
    Deep ecology

    Deep ecology is a recent branch of ecological philosophy that considers humankind an integral part of its natural environment. It is a body of thought that places greater value on non-human species, ecosystems and processes in nature than established environmental movement and green movements....

Mathematics

  • Mathematical singularity
    Mathematical singularity

    In mathematics, a singularity is in general a point at which a given mathematical object is not defined, or a point of an exceptional Set where it fails to be well-behaved in some particular way, such as derivative....

Growth

  • Exponential growth
    Exponential growth

    Exponential growth occurs when the growth rate of a mathematical function is proportionality to the function's current value. In the case of a discrete domain of definition with equal intervals it is also called geometric growth or geometric decay ....
  • Logistic growth