Physical system
A physical system is a collection of physical objects under study.[1] The collection differs from a set:
all the objects must coexist and have some physical relationship.[2] In other words, it is a portion of
the physical universe chosen for analysis. Everything outside the system is known as the
environment, which is ignored except for its effects on the system.
Weather map as an example
of a physical system
The split between system and environment is the analyst's choice, generally made to simplify the
analysis. For example, the water in a lake, the water in half of a lake, or an individual molecule of
water in the lake can each be considered a physical system. An isolated system is one that has
negligible interaction with its environment. Often a system in this sense is chosen to correspond to
the more usual meaning of system, such as a particular machine.
In the study of quantum coherence, the "system" may refer to the microscopic properties of an
object (e.g. the mean of a pendulum bob), while the relevant "environment" may be the internal
degrees of freedom, described classically by the pendulum's thermal vibrations. Because no
quantum system is completely isolated from its surroundings,[3] it is important to develop a
theoretical framework for treating these interactions in order to obtain an accurate understanding of
quantum systems.
In control theory, a physical system being controlled (a "controlled system") is called a "plant".
See also
Conceptual systems
Physics portal
Phase space
Physical phenomenon
Physical ontology
Signal-flow graph
Systems engineering
Systems science
Thermodynamic system
Open quantum system
References
1. Belkind, Ori (2 February 2012). Physical Systems: Conceptual Pathways between Flat Space-time
and Matter (https://books.google.com/books?id=Wo1kuGWhcEcC&q=Physical+system) .
Springer Science & Business Media. p. 1. ISBN 978-94-007-2373-3. "The notion of physical
system is so ubiquitous it is mentioned in almost every work in physics. Scientists use the
term, without much reflection, to refer to an aggregate of physical objects."
2. Bunge, Mario (1967). Foundations of Physics (http://link.springer.com/10.1007/978-3-642-4928
7-7) . Springer Tracts in Natural Philosophy. Vol. 10. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Berlin
Heidelberg. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-49287-7 (https://doi.org/10.1007%2F978-3-642-49287-
7) . ISBN 978-3-642-49289-1.
3. Breuer, H.-P.; Petruccione, F. (2007). The Theory of Open Quantum Systems. Oxford University
Press. p. vii. "Quantum mechanical systems must be considered as open systems"
Further reading
Bunge, Mario (13 March 2013). Foundations of Physics (https://books.google.com/books?id=Alp-
BgAAQBAJ) . Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 978-3-642-49287-7. Retrieved 21 June
2023.
Bunge, Mario; Mahner, Martin (2004). Über die Natur der Dinge: Materialismus und Wissenschaft (ht
tps://books.google.com/books?id=fTUkAAAACAAJ) (in German). S. Hirzel. ISBN 978-3-7776-
1321-5.
Halloun, Ibrahim A. (25 January 2007). Modeling Theory in Science Education (https://books.googl
e.com/books?id=Rn48Xb7CuD0C) . Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 978-1-4020-2140-
4. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
Schmutzer, Ernst (29 August 2005). Grundlagen der Theoretischen Physik (https://books.google.co
m/books?id=a0YkRomfSjIC&pg=PA895) (in German). John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-3-527-
40555-8. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
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