phase space

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

phase space
    n 1: (physics) an ideal space in which the coordinate dimensions
         represent the variables that are required to describe a
         system or substance; "a multidimensional phase space"

from The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)

phase space

   <mathematics> The 2n-dimensional space consisting of the
   possible values of (x1, x1., x2, x2., ..., xn, xn.) for a
   system of n first-order {ordinary differential equations} (or
   more generally, {Pfaffian forms}).

   If n=1, the phase space is known as a phase plane.

   (http://mathworld.wolfram.com/PhaseSpace.html).

   (2008-05-02)