Uses Made of Computer Algebra in Physics

Computer algebra is a tool building activity. This paper is a review of acceptance of this tool by physicists and theoretical chemists during the period from the EUROSAM-79 survey to the Spring of 1988, as reflected by the literature which quotes computer algebra. After considering the traditional areas of application; celestial mechanics, relativity and quantum mechanics, we extend our examination to other areas of physics which would appear, from the literature, to be using computer algebra efficiently: fluid mechanics, plasma physics, optics, perturbation technology, continuum mechanics, numerical analysis for physics, mechanics, non-linear evolution equations, theoretical chemistry and other applications