Water And Carbon Cycles Flashcards
What are the two types of system
A closed system
An open system
Define system
Any set of interrelated components that are connected together to form a working unit or unified whole.
What’s a closed system
Where there is transfer of energy, but not matter between the system and it’s surroundings. Planet earth is an example of such a system
What’s an open system
Where a system receives inputs and transfers outputs of energy or matter across the boundaries within it and with its surroundings. Most natural systems, such as the water cycle and carbon cycle are open systems.
What are some common features of open systems
Inputs
Outputs
Stores (or components)
Transfers
What are inputs
Inputs are those elements that enter a system to be processed. They are fed into the system in order to create outputs
What are outputs
Outputs are the outcome of processing within the system. Outputs may be of use to the next element in the system, or they may be unintended outcomes that may not be of use
What are stores (or components)
Stores are where amounts of energy or matter are held, and not transferred until the appropriate processes are in place to move them.
What are transfers
Transfers or flows involve the movement of energy or matter through the system and enable inputs to become outputs. These may involve processes that create change.
How do open systems tend to adjust themselves
Open systems tend to adjust themselves to flows of energy and/or matter by modifying the interrelationships between different elements of the system, so that input and output flows balance each other out, resulting in a steady state for the system, known as dynamic equilibrium.
This kind of adjustment is called self regulation, and much of physical geography can be understood in part as the study of self regulating systems.
Define dynamic equilibrium
The balanced state of a system when opposing forces, or inputs and outputs, are equal.
When does feedback occur
Feedback is probably one of the most important aspects of systems theory. It occurs when One element of a system changes because of an outside influence. This will upset the dynamic equilibrium, or state of balance, and affect other components in the system.
What is negative feedback
Negative feedback is when a system acts by lessening the effect of the original change and ultimately reversing it.
What’s positive feedback
Positive feedback occurs within a system where a change causes a further, or snowball effect, continuing or even accelerating the original change.
