Systems and models Flashcards
What is a system?
A set of interrelated parts and the connection between them that unites them to form a complex whole and produces emergent properties.
Which are the main characteristics of systems?
Having inputs, outputs, storages and processes.
Which are the two approaches to systems?
Reductionist - system divided into different parts;
Holistic (systems approach) - system approached as a whole.
What are emergent properties?
Properties that become apparent and result from various interacting components within a system but do not belong to the individual components themselves.
What is a systems approach?
A way of visualizing a complex set of interactions which may be ecological or societal.
What happens during the photosynthesis?
CO2 + H2O + light = biomass + O2;
sun energy transformed into chemical energy.
What happens during respiration?
Biomass = CO2 + H2O;
energy is lost to the atmosphere and transformed into heat.
What are biomes?
Ecosystems with similar climatic conditions in different parts of the world.
What does the Gaya hypothesis state?
Earth acts as a living organism, trying to keep the homeostasis in temperature, water salinity and atmosphere composition.
What happens during a transfer?
Energy and matter change place but not their state.
What happens during a transformation?
Energy or matter flow and change their state (chemical nature, state or energy).
Which are the types of systems?
Open - exchanges energy and matter;
Close - exchanges only energy;
Isolated - exchanges neither energy nor matter.
Which are the differences between matter and energy?
Energy flows in as energy, flows out as heat and its ultimate source in any system is the Sun;
Matter is finitie. It was creating during Big Bang and now is used and reused moving around the different systems (can change location and state).
What is a model?
A simplification of reality used to understand how systems work and to predict how they will respond to change.
Which are the advantages of using models?
-Easier to work with;
-Can be used to make predictions;
-Can help seeing patterns;
-Can help adjust visualization size of reality;
-Can be applied to similar situations.
