- Types of systems in living things
- Open
- Closed
- Isolated
- Characteristics of living beings
- Metabolism
- Homeostasis
- Adaptation
- Irritability
- Nutrition
- Excretion
- References
The living beings are open systems because of their interaction with their surrounding environment. To understand this, it is first necessary to define a system, which is any organism, thing or process that, due to its characteristics, can be studied.
Depending on the type of living being and its behavior when it comes to interacting with the outside world, we can classify the systems in several ways.
Types of systems in living things
Open
It is one that constantly exchanges energy and matter with the environment that surrounds it and its surroundings.
It takes as matter everything that occupies a place in space and has mass and volume. It uses energy to carry out physical or chemical changes in its matter.
Closed
One that exchanges energy with the environment that surrounds it, but not matter. Characteristic that differentiates it from the previous one.
Isolated
An isolated system is called that which does not exchange energy or matter with the environment that surrounds it.
That said, we know that a living being is a system, since it can be studied, and we also know that it is considered an open system thanks to the fact that it exchanges energy and matter with the environment.
Characteristics of living beings
Metabolism
Process by which organisms capture energy from the environment around them and transform it into energy for their vital functions.
This energy exchange is carried out through components that surround the living being such as water, light, oxygen, etc.
Homeostasis
It is universally known as the ability of every being to maintain its constant internal environment.
To achieve that some parameters such as temperature, PH, the level of nutrients and water volume are maintained in quantities or measures conducive to the survival of many species, mechanisms are used. For example, the excretion of sweat, which allows the skin to cool down and consequently lower the temperature of the whole body.
To maintain the volume of water, living beings absorb it from the environment in quantities that allow them to carry out their basic processes.
In addition, some animals are exposed to the sun's rays to increase their temperature, which is why homeostasis is considered an exchange of matter, energy or both in all living beings.
Adaptation
It is the adaptation of living beings to the environment that surrounds them. This mechanism is the way in which living beings accept and function in the environmental conditions that surround them.
Irritability
It is the ability of all living beings to respond to stimuli from the environment that surrounds them.
This characteristic is one of the most decisive to witness the exchange of energy. The most representative example is the contraction of the eye's pupil when receiving a large amount of light to avoid damage to the optic nerve and focus images with more precision.
In addition, the stimuli can be physical or sensitive, so the exchange is remarkable in these beings.
Nutrition
Defined as the ability to assimilate nutrients from food, that is, to incorporate them into cells for later use in the functioning of cell units, organs and systems.
Another of the most relevant examples that support the classification of living beings as open systems, since all living beings on the planet must, in one way or another, assimilate nutrients.
Either by photosynthesis, phagocytosis or the digestion process, assimilation from the environment into the body is necessary.
Excretion
It is the process by which a being discards the by-products of its processes, which are not necessary or represent a danger to its survival.
An example of this characteristic is sweat, feces and urine, which are material exchange that mostly eliminates toxins.
For all the above we understand why living beings are considered open systems, since they are constantly exchanging matter and energy with the environment that surrounds them.
References
- The Theory of Open Systems in Physics and BiologyLudwig von BertalanffyDepartment of Biology, University of Ottawa. PDF Document, Page 23 - 28. Recovered from vhpark.hyperbody.nl.
- The Mystery of Life's Origin: Reassessing Current Theories, Thermodynamics of Living Systems, Chapter 7 by Victor F. Weisskopf, R. Clausius and R. Caillois. Recovered from ldolphin.org.
- Open Systems, from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979) 3rd Edition (1970-1979). © 2010 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved by DN ZUBAREV. Recovered from encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com.
- Reece, JB, Urry, LA, Cain, ML, Wasserman, SA, Minorsky, PV, and Jackson, RB (2011). The laws of energy transformation. In Campbell biology (10th ed., Pp. 143-145). San Francisco, CA: Pearson.
- Living Beings, Open Systems, Chapter · January 2009. In book: Molecular and Cellular Enzymology, pp.63-82 by Jeannine Jon Khan.
- The Human Being as an Open System by Eduard V. Galazhinskiy, Rector, Professor and Doctor of Psychology, Tomsk State University. Recovered from
- Entropy and Open Systems by Henry M. Morris, Ph.D. Evidence for Creation ›Evidence from Science› Evidence from the Physical Sciences ›The Universe Is Stable› Energy Cannot Naturally Be Created or Destroyed. Recovered from icr.org.