ENV100Y5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Geosphere, Dynamic Equilibrium, Environmental Science
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ENV100Y5 Full Course Notes
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Document Summary
Central case: the plight of the st. lawrence beluga. We must look at the broader system and how it affects the whales. Environmental entities are complex systems that interact with each other. Network of relationships among components that influence one another. To solve environmental problems, all appropriate systems must be considered. A system: a portion of the universe that can be separated from the rest, for studying changes that occur within it, under changing conditions. Major earth spheres: geosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere. Thus, we have to consider the system as an interacting whole. Types of systems: based on properties of boundaries. Closed system: energy can be exchanged across the boundaries, but matter cannot. Open system: both matter and energy can be exchanged across the boundaries (ex. Studying lakes, we have to look at if the forest system which interacts should be considered: most environmental systems are open.
