For Hobbyists & Makers · Lotka-Volterra
Lotka-Volterra for a synapse
Built for hobbyists & makers exploring it for fun. Play with real physics and math, no license and no setup — just open and tinker. Simulate a synapse live below — adjust the inputs and watch it respond, right in your browser.
Lotka-Volterra Predator-PreyLive
coupled population cycles
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Presets
Two coupled equations produce the classic boom-and-bust cycle: prey multiply, predators feast and multiply, prey crash, predators starve, and the cycle repeats. The phase portrait shows the closed orbit — populations forever chasing each other, never settling.
Data Inspector
Prey equilibrium20.0
Predator equilibrium10.0
Dynamicslimit cycle
Governing equation
Reading this result: These parameters trace a closed orbit: prey and predator populations cycle forever without settling, staying about a quarter-period out of phase — the predator peak lags the prey peak. The orbit encircles the fixed point at (prey 20.0, predator 10.0) = (c/d, a/b). Raising predation b (now 0.1) or predator death c (now 1.5) shifts and reshapes that orbit — a higher death rate c pushes the prey equilibrium up and tends to lengthen the boom-and-bust period, while stronger coupling widens the amplitude of each swing.
Runs locally in your browser — free forever. Scale to the cloud when reality gets heavy.
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Frequently asked questions
- Is this good for hobbyists & makers?
- Yes — this version of "Lotka-Volterra for a synapse" is framed for hobbyists & makers exploring it for fun. Play with real physics and math, no license and no setup — just open and tinker.
- Do I need to install anything?
- No. It runs in any modern browser, free, with no account required.