Does close systems really exist?

  • Context: High School 
  • Thread starter Thread starter nouveau_riche
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Systems
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the existence and examples of closed systems in thermodynamics, contrasting them with isolated systems. Participants explore definitions, seek examples, and debate the implications of these concepts in various contexts.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants question the existence of closed systems, suggesting that true closed systems may not exist and that interactions with the environment are inevitable.
  • Others clarify the difference between closed and isolated systems, noting that closed systems can exchange energy but not mass, while isolated systems cannot exchange either.
  • Examples of closed systems are proposed, including a sealed mylar balloon, a piston with closed valves, a sealed soda can, and a light bulb, with the assertion that these are common in reality.
  • One participant argues that a system cannot transition from order to disorder without interaction, challenging the notion of closed systems.
  • There is a discussion about the second law of thermodynamics and whether it applies only to isolated systems, with some uncertainty expressed regarding its requirements.
  • Some participants express skepticism about the practicality of closed systems, suggesting that materials like wool or cotton might approximate a closed system but are not ideal.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the existence of true closed systems, with multiple competing views remaining regarding definitions, examples, and implications of closed versus isolated systems.

Contextual Notes

There are limitations in the discussion regarding the definitions of closed and isolated systems, as well as the assumptions about interactions and energy exchange. The applicability of the second law of thermodynamics to different types of systems remains unresolved.

nouveau_riche
Messages
253
Reaction score
0
can anyone give me an example of isolated closed system?,bcoz for me there is nothing called closed system,all we can make out is to reduce the temperature of a system to such a critical point that there's hardly any interaction/exchange of energy b/w system and enviroment
 
Physics news on Phys.org
nouveau_riche said:
can anyone give me an example of isolated closed system?,bcoz for me there is nothing called closed system,all we can make out is to reduce the temperature of a system to such a critical point that there's hardly any interaction/exchange of energy b/w system and enviroment
Depends whether you mean a closed system, or an isolated system. One can find many examples of the former, but there are no known examples of the latter.
 
well, if the typical magnitude of internal changees over the time interval we are observing are much greater than the magnitude of what is lost/gained at the boundaries, the observed system can be regarded as roughly closed during the time interval of our observation.
 
arildno said:
well, if the typical magnitude of internal changees over the time interval we are observing are much greater than the magnitude of what is lost/gained at the boundaries, the observed system can be regarded as roughly closed during the time interval of our observation.

i don't need a rough approximation ,can u give an example of any closed system ?
 
Hootenanny said:
Depends whether you mean a closed system, or an isolated system. One can find many examples of the former, but there are no known examples of the latter.

give examples of former but with the reason signifying it's name as "closed"
 
nouveau_riche said:
give examples of former but with the reason signifying it's name as "closed"
Why do you want examples? It is more important to understand the difference between "closed" and "isolated" systems.

A closed system is one in which mass is conserved and cannot be transferred across the boundary. An isolated system is one in which both mass and energy cannot be transferred across the boundary.
 
Hootenanny said:
Why do you want examples? It is more important to understand the difference between "closed" and "isolated" systems.

A closed system is one in which mass is conserved and cannot be transferred across the boundary. An isolated system is one in which both mass and energy cannot be transferred across the boundary.

if u know the difference u could also give me an example
 
nouveau_riche said:
if u know the difference u could also give me an example
I could, but I suspect that this is a homework question and I do not want to do your homework for you.

How about this: You have a think about the definitions I gave above and try to come up with some examples. I will then tell you if they're right or wrong.
 
Hootenanny said:
I could, but I suspect that this is a homework question and I do not want to do your homework for you.

How about this: You have a think about the definitions I gave above and try to come up with some examples. I will then tell you if they're right or wrong.

firstly ,it's not my homework question,i never do my homework
secondly...i asked for the example bcoz i don't think there a system(closed) that could go from order to disorder without interacting with it's surroundings
 
  • #10
nouveau_riche said:
firstly ,it's not my homework question,i never do my homework
Er...okay.
nouveau_riche said:
secondly...i asked for the example bcoz i don't think there a system(closed) that could go from order to disorder without interacting with it's surroundings
And this is why is it vitally important to undertsand the difference between a closed system and an isolated system. A closed system doesn't exchange mass with its surroundings, but that doesn't mean it doesn't interact with its surroundings! Consider the following example. I have a sealed box with a deck of cards neatly stacked in the centre. I now shake the box so that the cards scatter inside the box. No mass has been exchanged between the box and its surroundings, but the system is now in a more disordered state that it was initially.

Notice that the second law of thermodynamics refers to an isolated system, rather than a closed system.
 
Last edited:
  • #11
Hootenanny said:
And this is why is it vitally important to undertsand the difference between a closed system and an isolated system. A closed system doesn't exchange mass with its surroundings, but that doesn't mean it doesn't interact with its surroundings! Consider the following example. I have a sealed box with a deck of cards neatly stacked in the centre. I now shake the box so that the cards scatter inside the box. No mass has been exchanged between the box and its surroundings, but the system is now in a more disordered state that it was initially.

Notice that the second law of thermodynamics refers to an isolated system, rather than a closed system.

the order of disorder however depends upon the way in which the box is shaken,so the system undergoes interaction,thus system is not isolated...
i am not sure for this"does second law of thermodynamics require that a system should be left onto itself?"
or
second law of thermodynamics is applicable only to those systems which are left onto themselves ?
 
  • #12
nouveau_riche said:
the order of disorder however depends upon the way in which the box is shaken,so the system undergoes interaction,thus system is not isolated...
i am not sure for this"does second law of thermodynamics require that a system should be left onto itself?"
or
second law of thermodynamics is applicable only to those systems which are left onto themselves ?
He never said it was isolated. he said it was closed.
 
  • #13
There are lots of examples of closed systems:
A sealed mylar balloon
A piston when the valves are closed
A sealed soda can
A light bulb
Basically anything that is impermeable and physically closed is thermodynamically closed.
 
  • #14
i am not sure for this"does second law of thermodynamics require that a system should be left onto itself?"
or
second law of thermodynamics is applicable only to those systems which are left onto themselves ?
 
  • #15
nouveau_riche said:
i am not sure for this"does second law of thermodynamics require that a system should be left onto itself?"
or
second law of thermodynamics is applicable only to those systems which are left onto themselves ?
I'm afraid that I don't understand.
 
  • #16
nouveau_riche said:
can anyone give me an example of isolated closed system?,bcoz for me there is nothing called closed system,all we can make out is to reduce the temperature of a system to such a critical point that there's hardly any interaction/exchange of energy b/w system and enviroment

there is no ideal closed system but wool or cotton can be nearer to perfect closed system
 
  • #17
skanda9051 said:
there is no ideal closed system but wool or cotton can be nearer to perfect closed system
There certainly are many, many examples of real physical closed systems. I suggest that you see my previous posts regarding isolated vs. closed systems.
 
  • #18
And my post with several examples of closed systems. They are all over the place. There is no doubt that not only do closed systems exist, they are actually quite common.
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
1K
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
3K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 37 ·
2
Replies
37
Views
6K
  • · Replies 16 ·
Replies
16
Views
3K
  • · Replies 15 ·
Replies
15
Views
3K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K
Replies
10
Views
3K