Open and Closed Systems

Open System

The Open Systems Model is based on open systems theory, which perceives organizations as units that interact with their external environment rather than being closed and independent units.

• Inputs processes, outputs goals.
• Healthy open systems continuously exchange feedback with their environments
• Aspect that are critically important to open systems include the boundaries, external environment and equifinality.
• Examples; Rainforest, Tundra's, Everglades

Therefore ALL natural systems are open systems but more then this they exsit as compounds of cascades through which energy and matter flow; the output of one systems forms the input to the next. 

Example; 

Figure 1; shows a comparison of a open and closed system where one is creating an output and input for the environment the other is not.

As Above in Figure 1 shows energy and chemical elements flowing through the biosphere are diverted temporarily  to the biomass store of the organisms of the different tropic levels. Think about the geothermal heat and energy and geochemical elements through the rock-forming materials. How it the crustal system is divided to store the energy and how it links with the open system?  

Closed System

An isolated system (3rd System) that has no interaction with its external environment. Closed systems output are knowable only through their outputs which are not dependent on the system being a closed or open system. Closed systems without any output are knowable only from within.

• Closed Systems have hard boundaries through which little information is exchanged
• Closed system boundaries are often unhealthy
• Example; Earth

Such a model of the planet is obviously simplified. An example would be Meteorites and how they penetrate the earth atmosphere from space, illustrating that of matter also crossing the boundaries of the system.

Figure 2; The Earth as a closed system as it as an input and an minimal output with no mass energy

 Figure 2 shows how earth is a closed system however the water cycle is also a closed system.

More to come on the laws of Thermodynamics and how to relate them open and Closed systems.... 

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References/ Further Reading


Kk.org. (2016). Kevin Kelly -- Chapter 8: Closed Systems. [online] Available at: http://kk.org/mt-files/outofcontrol/ch8-f.html [Accessed 24 Apr. 2016].


White, I., Mottershead, D. and Harrison, S. (1992). Environmental systems. London: Chapman & Hall.