Final answer:
Chaotic (or strange) attractors are part of chaos theory in physics, describing systems with sensitive dependence on initial conditions. These systems can be complex but show predictable patterns of self-organization, like Jupiter's Great Red Spot. Chaos theory has developed methods for understanding and predicting the behavior of these systems.
Step-by-step explanation:
Chaotic attractors or strange attractors are terms used in the field of chaos theory, which is a part of physics that deals with systems that exhibit a high sensitivity to initial conditions, leading to seemingly random behavior that is actually deterministic but complex. The study of chaotic systems has been crucial for understanding and predicting certain chaotic behaviors. These systems can show self-organization, a kind of ordered chaos, as in the case of the orbits of the planets and Jupiter's Great Red Spot.
Chaos is intertwined with complexity, so much so that some chaotic systems are inherently complex, presenting behaviors and patterns that can, despite their unpredictable nature, be quantified and often show forms of organization. The motions of fluids experience chaos with variations in Reynolds number, and phenomena like the onset of turbulence or irregular heartbeats can be analyzed using the principles of chaos. Chaotic systems, while they may be simple or complex, can lead to new methods for prediction despite their sensitive dependence on initial factors.