Conclusion

In this brief introduction to fractals in physics, we have just seen the special role played by fractal aggregates. Not that there aren't other kinds of fractals (in turbulence or in the analysis of fluctuations, for example), but they are nonetheless representative of a wide range of physical phenomena. What's more, they have a very important feature of "simplicity", in terms of their physical properties. Although it's a little beyond the scope of this article, the physical properties of particle aggregates can often be deduced from the properties of a particle and the (fractal) way in which these particles are distributed within the aggregate. This two-stage study greatly simplifies the problem, compared with the difficulties expected for other disordered objects.

Let's illustrate: we know exactly how to solve the problem of light scattering by these aggregates,...