Structure
93545
225825502
2008-07-15T16:02:21Z
NE2
1757249
Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/Pink!Teen|Pink!Teen]] ([[User talk:Pink!Teen|talk]]) to last version by SieBot
{{otheruses|Structure (disambiguation)}}
{{wiktionary|structure}}
'''Structure''' is a fundamental and sometimes [[intangible]] notion covering the [[recognition]], [[observation]], [[nature (philosophy)|nature]], and [[stability]] of [[pattern]]s and [[relationship]]s of [[entities]]. From a child's verbal description of a [[Snow|snowflake]], to the detailed [[scientific analysis]] of the properties of [[magnetic field]]s, the concept of structure is an essential foundation of nearly every mode of inquiry and discovery in [[science]], [[philosophy]], and [[art]].<ref name="Pullan000">{{cite book | last = Pullan | first = Wendy | title = Structure | publisher = Cambridge University Press | location = Cambridge | year = 2000 | isbn = 0521782589 }}</ref>
A structure defines what a [[system]] is made of. It is a configuration of items. It is a collection of inter-related components or services. The structure may be a hierarchy (a cascade of one-to-many relationships) or a network featuring many-to-many relationships.
== Types of structure ==
=== Biological structure ===
{{main|Morphometry|Systems biology}}
In [[biology]], structures exist at all levels of organisation, ranging hierarchically from the [[atomic]] and [[molecular]] to the [[cellular]], [[Tissue (biology)|tissue]], [[organ (anatomy)|organ]], [[organism]]ic, [[population]] and [[ecosystem]] level. Usually, a higher-level structure is composed of multiple copies of a lower-level structure.
=== Chemical structure ===
{{main|Chemical structure}}
Chemistry is the science treating matter at the atomic to macromolecular scale, the reactions, transformations and aggregations of matter, as well as accompanying energy and entropy changes during these processes. The [[chemical structure]] refers to both molecular geometry and to electronic structure. The [[structural formula]] of a chemical compound is a graphical representation of the molecular structure showing how the atoms are arranged. A [[protein structure]] is the three dimensional coordinates of the atoms within (macro) molecules made of protein.
=== Built structure ===
A structure usually refers to any large, man-made object permanently fixed to Earth's surface, as a result of [[construction]]. These are divided into [[building]]s and [[nonbuilding structure]]s, and make up the [[infrastructure]] of a human society. There are also animal-built structures, such as [[anthill]]s and [[beaver]] dams.
=== Musical composition ===
Music is an art form consisting of sound and silence expressed through time. The term [[musical form]], a type of structure, refers to two related concepts:
* the type of composition (for example, a musical work can have the form of a symphony, a concerto, or other generic type)
* the structure of a particular piece (for example, a piece can be written in binary form, sonata form, as a fugue, etc.)
=== Social structure ===
{{main|Social structure}}
A social structure is a pattern of relations. They are social [[organization]] of individuals and various life. Structures are applicable to people in how a society is as a system organized by a characteristic pattern of relationships. This is known as the social organization of the group. Sociologists have studied the changing structure of theses groups. [[Structure and agency]] is the two confronted theories about human behaviour. The debate surrounding the influence of structure and agency on human thought and behaviour is one of the central issues in sociology. In this context "agency" refers to the capacity of individual humans to act independently and to make their own free choices. "Structure" here to those factors such as social class, religion, gender, ethnicity, customs etc. which seem to limit or influence the opportunities that individuals have.
=== Data structure ===
{{main|Data structure}}
In [[computer science]], a '''data structure''' is a way of storing [[data]] in a computer so that it can be used efficiently. Often a carefully chosen data structure will allow the most [[algorithmic efficiency|efficient]] [[algorithm]] to be used. The choice of the data structure often begins from the choice of an [[abstract data type|abstract]] [[data type]]. A well-designed data structure allows a variety of critical operations to be performed, using as few resources, both execution time and memory space, as possible. Data structures are implemented by a [[programming]] [[programming language|language]] as [[data type]]s and the [[reference (computer science)|references]] and operations they provide.
== References ==
{{reflist}}
== See also ==
* [[Crystal structure]]
* [[Data structure]]
* [[Mathematical structure]]
* [[Nonbuilding structure]]
* [[Primary structure]]
* [[Protein structure]]
* [[Quarternary structure]]
* [[Secondary structure]]
* [[Structural geology]]
* [[Tertiary structure]]
[[Category:Structure|*]]
[[ar:بنية]]
[[ca:Estructura]]
[[cs:Struktura]]
[[de:Struktur]]
[[es:Estructura]]
[[eo:Strukturo]]
[[fr:Structure]]
[[id:Struktur]]
[[it:Struttura]]
[[he:מבנה]]
[[lt:Struktūra]]
[[hu:Struktúra]]
[[mk:Структура]]
[[nl:Structuur]]
[[ja:構造]]
[[no:Struktur]]
[[pl:Struktura]]
[[ru:Структура]]
[[simple:Structure]]
[[sk:Štruktúra (usporiadanie entít)]]
[[ta:கட்டமைப்பு]]
[[yi:סטרוקטור]]