System and Surroundings
We
introduce boundaries in our study called the system and surroundings.
The boundaries are set up in a way most conducive to
understanding the energetics of what we're studying.
Defining the system and surroundings
is arbitrary, but it becomes important
when we consider the exchange of energy between the
system and surroundings.
Two types of exchange can occur between system and surroundings:
(1) energy exchange (heat, work, friction, radiation, etc.) and
(2) matter exchange (movement of molecules
across the boundary of the system and surroundings).
Based on the types of exchange which take place or don't take place, we will define three types of systems:
isolated systems: no exchange of matter or energy
closed systems: no exchange of matter but some exchange of energy
open systems: exchange of both matter and energy
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