IB Environmental systems and societies 1.2A Systems Key Definitions

Biomass is the total mass of living organisms in a given area or volume.

Closed systems are systems that exchange energy but not matter with their surroundings.

Flows are the processes that move energy, matter, or information within a system.

An isolated system exchanges neither energy nor matter with its surroundings.

Open systems are systems that exchange both energy and matter with their surroundings.

Photosynthesis is the conversion of light energy into chemical energy in the form of glucose, which can later be stored as biomass or used as fuel by autotrophs.

A system is a set of interacting or interdependent components that work together to form a functional whole.

A systems approach is a way of looking at complex situations by focusing on the interactions and interdependencies between different components within a system.

A system diagram is a visual representation that shows how different components of a system interact with each other.

Transfers involve the movement of matter or energy from one place to another without changing its form.

Transformations involve a change in the chemical nature, state, or energy type of matter or energy.