Copying

thumb|right|Christ Pantocrator seated in a capital "U" in an [[illuminated manuscript from the Badische Landesbibliothek, Germany (from )]] thumb|right|Image of two facing pages of the illuminated manuscript of "Isagoge", fols. 42b and 43a. On the top of the left hand page is an illuminated letter "D" – initial of "De urinarum differencia negocium" (The matter of the differences of urines). Inside the letter is a picture of a master on bench pointing at a raised flask while lecturing on the "Book on urines" of Theophilus. The right hand page is only shown in part. On its very bottom is an illu

cellular metabolic process in which a cell duplicates one or more molecules of DNA

thumb|A Xerox digital photocopier in 2010 A photocopier (also called copier or copy machine, and formerly Xerox machine, the generic trademark) is a machine that makes copies of documents and other visual images onto paper or plastic film quickly and cheaply. Most modern photocopiers use a technology called xerography, a dry process that uses electrostatic charges on a light-sensitive photoreceptor to first attract and then transfer toner particles (a powder) onto paper in the form of an image. The toner is then fused onto the paper using heat, pressure, or a combination of both. Copiers can a

alt=|thumb|300x300px|A toddler imitates his father. Imitation (from Latin imitatio, "a copying, imitation") is a behavior whereby an individual observes and replicates another's behavior. Imitation is also a form of learning that leads to the "development of traditions, and ultimately our culture. It allows for the transfer of information (behaviors, customs, etc.) between individuals and down generations without the need for genetic inheritance." The word imitation can be applied in many contexts, ranging from animal training to politics. The term generally refers to conscious behavior; subco

thumb|378x378px|1823 facsimile of the United States Declaration of Independence made by William Stone A facsimile (from Latin fac simile, "to make alike") is a copy or reproduction of an old book, manuscript, map, art print, or other item of historical value that is as true to the original source as possible. It differs from other forms of reproduction by attempting to replicate the source as accurately as possible in scale, color, condition, and other material qualities. For books and manuscripts, this also entails a complete copy of all pages; hence, an incomplete copy is a "partial facsimil

process by which a duplicate sculpture (often metal) is cast from an original sculpture

thumb|Drafting pantograph in use thumb|Pantograph used for scaling a picture. The red shape is traced and enlarged. thumb|Pantograph 3d rendering

thumb|Model of a molecule, with coloured balls representing different atoms A model is an informative representation of an object, person, or system. The term originally denoted the plans of a building in late 16th-century English, and derived via French and Italian ultimately from Latin , .

user-interface method of transferring data between sites

Copying is the duplication of information or an artifact based on an instance of that information or artifact, and not using the process that originally generated it. With analog forms of information, copying is only possible to a limited degree of accuracy, which depends on the quality of the equipment used and the skill of the operator. There is some inevitable generation loss, deterioration and accumulation of "noise" (random small changes) from original to copy when copies are made. This deterioration accumulates with each generation. With digital forms of information, copying is perfect.

thumb|right|250px|Illustration of a typical mimeograph machine

thumb|right|Replica of the Thor's hammer from [[Scania. The original find was created .]] A replica is an exact (usually 1:1 in scale) copy or remake of an object, made out of the same raw materials, whether a work of art, or a commercial product. The term is also used for copies that closely resemble the original, without claiming to be identical. Copies or reproductions of documents, books, manuscripts, maps or art prints are called facsimiles.

thumb|Telling a problem to a public scrivener. Istanbul, 1878 thumb|An écrivain public in Chambéry, France thumb|A historical reenactment of a 15th-century scrivener recording the will of a [[man-at-arms]]

technique of producing one or more copies simultaneously

sculpting tool

type of device which was a predecessor of modern document-reproduction technology

thumb|A pounce wheel, also known as a tracing wheel

commercially distributed computer file containing a media product

art technique

loss of qualities between copies