What type of model is used to represent a situation or problem to determine experimental results?

A simulation is a type of model that mimics the operation of a real-world process or system over time. It allows users to explore the dynamics of a situation or problem by creating a representation that can be manipulated in various ways to observe potential outcomes. In a simulation, different variables can be adjusted, and the effects of those changes can be analyzed, making it a powerful tool for experimentation and forecasting results.

This capability to replicate real-world behavior is what differentiates a simulation from other models. It is particularly useful in scenarios where actual experimentation may be too costly, dangerous, or impractical, enabling users to see how different conditions affect the system in question without the need for actual physical tests. In contrast, while prototypes, abstract models, and hypotheses each play valuable roles in different contexts, they do not specifically focus on mimicking and predicting outcomes in the same way that simulations do.