(1) Natural Systems

• Earth's global systems include the atmospheric system, hydrosphere system, biosphere system, and lithosphere system
• Equilibrium is a state of balance within systems where inputs and outputs are balanced to maintain stability
• Any disturbance to a system can affect its balance and cause a change
• Positive feedback amplifies change and moves the system further away from balance
• Negative feedback nullifies / returns a system towards equilibrium and counteracts the impact of earlier changes in the system
• Dynamic equilibrium refers to constant short-term adjustments through negative feedback to maintain balance
• This system involves inputs and outputs of both energy and matter.

  A) Open system

  
• Which system has transfers of energy both into and beyond the systems boundary but no transfer of matter

  A) Closed System

  
• Which system has no interactions with outside boundaries (no inputs or outputs of either energy or matter)

  A) Isolated system

  
• The water cycle is an open system as it receives energy from the sun which causes evaporation, precipitation and runoff.
• Cascading systems are where energy and material are transferred from one sub-system to another
• Components of a system

  A) Inputs

  B) Outputs

  C) Energy

  D) Stores

  E) Processes

  F) Flows / Transfers

  
• When the output of one subsystem becomes the input for another subsystem it is called?

  A cascading system
• This is an example of what type of feedback:

  A) Negative Feedback

  
• On a local scale the carbon and water cycles are both open systems, but on a global scale, they are closed systems
• How much water is accessible to humans:

  A) 0.9%