Wize AP Physics C: Mechanics Textbook > Foundations / Introduction / Measurement
Open and Closed Systems
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Find My CourseOpen, Closed, and Isolated Systems
A system can be an object or a collection of objects. In the scenario of a collection of objects, the objects are treated as having no internal structure.
- Open Systems: Are systems in which matter (mass) and energy (heat) can transfer into and out of the system
- Open systems exchange matter and energy with their surroundings
- Closed Systems: Are systems in which energy can transfer but matter (mass) cannot
- Isolated Systems: Are systems where neither matter (mass) or energy (heat) can transfer into or out of the system
- For all systems (open, closed, or isolated) energy, charge, linear momentum, angular momentum, are conserved
- For closed systems or isolated systems, these conserved quantities remain constant
Wize Concept
Interactions between systems can be caused by a force exerted on objects outside the system or transfer of matter/energy with objects outside the system