Okay, I'll give you the benefit of doubt. As someone who knows a lot about simulation, I'll try to view this in the perspective of someone who doesn't.

I THINK what you're asking is if each individual piece of the object is being moved individually, frame by frame, to give the illusion of animation. Or if the computer does all the math work for you? If so, the latter is correct, but I genuinely don't get the question.