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Looking Back: Natural Systems Assess your understanding of concepts related to this section by answering the questions below before proceeding with this chapter. Click the question to reveal the correct answer.
(1) a functioning set of components, (2) a flow of energy which powers them, and (3) a process for the internal regulation of their functioning called feedback.
Open systems allow energy and mass across their system boundary. The various "spheres" of the earth system like the biosphere are examples of open systems. Closed systems allow energy but not mass to cross their system boundary. The earth system as a whole is an example of a closed system.
Positive feedback encourages system change towards a new state. Negative feedback reverses the direction of system change to return it to is original state.
System equilibrium is a state when the inputs and outputs of a system are in balance.
Exogenic source of energy come from outside the earth system, notably solar radiation. An endogenic source is found within the earth system, notably the heat generated from the earth's core.
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