open system
Interacts with surroundings
An open system exchanges matter, energy, or information with its environment, as opposed to a closed system that doesn't.
In thermodynamics, a boiling pot without a lid is an open system—steam escapes, heat enters.
In computing and technology, open systems use nonproprietary standards that allow interoperability: The company adopted open systems to avoid vendor lock-in.
Organizations described as open systems interact dynamically with their surroundings rather than operating in isolation.
Line marking a limit
- environmentExternal conditions affecting life
- inputData received for processing
- outputWhat something generates
- feedbackReturned response data
adaptation · interdependence · throughput · subsystems · homeostasis · complexity · integration · synergy
Quantified chaos in systems
- energyPower to do work
- heatTransferred thermal energy
- exchangeMutual giving and receiving
- equilibriumState of balance
surroundings · dissipation · flux · enthalpy · work · temperature · isothermal · cycle
Software communication standard
- interoperabilityCross-platform functional harmony
- standardsAccepted levels of quality
- protocolPrescribed conduct rules
- integrationCombining into a whole
extensibility · modular · platform · compatibility · interface · architecture · ecosystem · plugin
boundary
Line marking a limit
- environmentExternal conditions affecting life
- inputData received for processing
- outputWhat something generates
feedback · adaptation · interdependence · throughput · subsystems · homeostasis · complexity · integration · synergy · viability
entropy
Quantified chaos in systems
equilibrium · surroundings · dissipation · flux · enthalpy · work · temperature · isothermal · cycle · process
API
Software communication standard
- interoperabilityCross-platform functional harmony
- standardsAccepted levels of quality
- protocolPrescribed conduct rules
integration · extensibility · modular · platform · compatibility · interface · architecture · ecosystem · plugin · middleware
- systemsecosystems, ecosystem, transportation network, neural network, neural networks
- nursing suppliesbreast pump, breast pads, nursing bra, nursing pads, nursing pillow
- nonequilibriumirreversibility, dissipation, steady state, steady states, steady-state
- entropydisorder, randomness, dissipation, irreversibility, thermodynamics
- Lab Conditionssterile environment, pH level, control group, extreme conditions, in vitro
- thermodynamicsentropy, enthalpy, heat transfer, free energy, heat capacity
open systemclosed system
Exchange-free bounded region
sealed system · walled garden · closed source · black box · legacy system