environmental systems Flashcards
what is a system?
a collection of things that have a linkage between each other and are contained within an identifiable boundary
what are the types of systems?
- open system
- closed system
- isolated system
what are the two things that potentially flow in/out of systems?
- energy
- matter
what is a closed system?
only energy can move across the system boundary
what is an isolated system?
energy and matter CANNOT move across the system boundary
what do the lines that is used to draw a boundary look like around an open system?
dotted line!
what are the two states of a system?
transient and steady
what is a transient state?
when inputs and outputs across the boundary are unequal -> results in the changing size of reservoir inside the boundary
what is a steady state?
when inputs and outputs are equal so the reservoir in the boundary remains the same
what is the continuity equation?
change of reservoir size over time = input - output
are most natural systems transient or steady?
transient! can appear steady over specific time scales
what is the reservoir time?
the average length of time a substance remains in a reservoir at a steady state
