Categories: Site glossary
A phase space is a hypothetical or theoretical space that can represent all possible states of the system being studied. This might require more than just three dimensions. (In physics the state of a simple particle might be represented by three dimensions to represent its position, plus three to represent its momentum – and if it is rotating that will require additional dimensions for a full description.)
Although most commonly used in physics, the idea has wider applications. A learner's zone of proximal development (Z.P.D.) might be considered to be a region of a phase space describing the actual and potential development of that learner.
