How to tell a system from surroundings?

[405509920]

I noticed that for the homework and practice problems I kept flipping what was the system vs. the surrounding for the calculation of Tf for the equation q(sys) = -q(surr). Any tips for distinguishing whats what?

[Dana Sorensen 1C]

The system should be the object or area of interest, while the surroundings is everything else. For instance, if there is a reaction happening in a closed beaker, the closed beaker would be the system and the rest of the universe the surroundings.

[Myra Goraya Dis 2E]

system is the object of interest, for example a cat. while surroundings is everything around it, in that case it would be the room the cat is in.

[Nathaniel John 2E]

Hello, the system is the region of interest that we are trying to determine the change in temperature of. The surrounding is where energy transfers are made. In addition, the universe includes both the system and surroundings. For example, generally chemical reactions can be systems, and the solution they occur in can be the surrounding. This is seen with the reaction of HCl and NaOH in water.

Hope this helps!

[Ashley Wilson 2L]

The system consists of the matter being studied, while the surroundings are literally everything else. In a solution, the system includes the particles dissolved in the water, such as the Na+ or Cl- ions, while the water molecules are considered part of the surroundings. Yet even in this scenario, everything else in the universe would be part of the surroundings, including the table, the scientist, and the gas particles in the air.

[Celine_Nguyen_3K]

The system consists of what we're interested in calculating given the conditions of the problem, such as a chemical reaction within a reaction chamber in a constant pressure calorimeter. The surroundings is everything else, such as the water that is affected by mixing those chemicals into the calorimeter.

[Ivy Vo Dis 1C]

A system would be our object of interest, and our surroundings would be anything else. Here is an example: If we are heating up a pot of water, the pot of water would be our system. Our surroundings would be everything else-- the kitchen for example.

[405479701]

The object or area of interest is the system. Everything around it or just everything else is the surroundings.

[Helen Ringley 2E]

This is something that will be specified. In most of our problems, however, the system of interest will be a reaction, so that reaction is the system and everything around it is the surroundings.

[SerenaSabedra]

The system is the object specified, or the object of interest. Everything else in the universe is considered its surroundings, but we only focus on the system

[Kathleen Wijaya 3L]

The rules for defining either are arbitrary, but usually the system is the reaction that we are interested in, and the rest is surroundings.

[Amy Jordan 2A]

Hi, you can tell a system from its surroundings because a system is the area of interest that you are calculating or the one specified, while the surroundings are everything else around it. Hope this helps!

[Clarence Clavite 2K]

The system is always the specific thing you're looking at or the item of interest. Everything else surrounding the system would be the surroundings.

[Sarah Wang 1I]

Systems are always the region of interest (which will usually be described/given), such as a flask of gas or a reaction mixture. The surroundings are everything else outside that system.

[Erin Chin 1L]

Hi! The system consists of the object or region of interest, or what is being observed, while the surroundings are everything else. Normally, in the problems that we deal with, the system will be the reaction.

[Achyutha Kodavatikanti_3H]

isolating to a specific object and keeping track of what the values in the problem are applying to can help you distinguish between the system and its surroundings (everything but the system).

[Acharya Ranawat 3E]

You set the system to whatever you feel is the object of interest. The surroundings are anything around it. Hope this helps!

[Kailin Mimaki 2K]

A system is the reaction that is happening— it is what we want to analyze the heat or temperature of. The surroundings is just everything else outside of the reaction. Hope this helped!

[Jieun 2C]

The system is where the reaction is taking place, the place we are interested in, and the surrounding is everything else that is not directly involved in the reaction or the place of interest.

[Nyah Zhang 1E]

The system is usually specified in the question. The region of interest is the system. Everything else around it would be considered the surrounding.

[Rebecca Preusch 2C]

System is the object of interest, the surroundings are everything else. For example, a system could be the reaction happening inside a beaker and the surroundings would be the beaker and everything else outside the beaker.

[amara ajon 1d]

Hi,
We can usually tell a system from its surroundings since we would only really be looking at a system rather than surroundings — meaning that a system is our area of interest.

[almaortega]

The system would be what you want to worth with, and the surroundings is literally everything else around it. For example, a reaction inside of a closed/ sealed beaker = system. Everything that isn't part of the reaction, is the surrounding.

[Nicole Weinstein 3E]

The system is what is being studied or the object of interest. The surroundings are everything else/around the system. For instance, if we drop a hot piece of metal into water, the heat from the system (the metal) is exchanged with the surroundings (the water).

[Michael 1G]

The system is the object of interest while the surroundings are everything else. A sealed beaker would be a system and the room along with everything around it would be its surroundings.