Energy Systems – ERA Laboratory Key information and terminology.
Introduction to systems thinking terminology...Introduction to systems thinking Goals: Define...
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Introduction to systems thinking terminology A system is a set of connected things or parts forming a complex whole
Transcript of Introduction to systems thinking terminology...Introduction to systems thinking Goals: Define...
Introductiontosystemsthinkingterminology
Asystemisasetofconnectedthingsorpartsformingacomplexwhole
Howdoyourateyourknowledgeofsystemsdiagramsrightnow?
1. Ihaveneverheardofsystemsdiagrams.2. Ihaveheardofsystemsdiagrams,butcannot
elaborate.3. Icouldexplainalittleaboutsystems
diagrams.4. Ifgivenasystemsdiagram,Icouldexplainit.5. Icouldcreateasystemsdiagramandthen
explainit.
Introductiontosystemsthinking
Goals:Define systemsterminology.
Readandinterpretsimple systemsdiagrams.Evaluateadiagram’sfittoadescriptionofasystem.
Describehowabathtubworks(in3minutes)
• Takeoutablanksheetofpaperandwrite2–4completesentences.
(nowturnoverthepaperandset itaside until theendofclass)
faucet
drain
Hereismybathtub,visually:
Thewaterinthebathtubisthereservoir
faucet
drain
Wemeasuretheamount inthereservoir
• Waterlevelincm• Liters• Gallons
faucet
drain
Thefaucetrepresentsaflux:theinputorinflowofwater
Wemeasuretherateofwaterflowingthroughthefaucet
• Liters/second• Drops/minute
faucet
drain
Thedrainalsorepresentsaflux:theoutputoroutflow
Wemeasuretherateofwaterflowingdownthedrain
• Liters/second• Drops/minute
faucet
drain
Opensystem
Thatis,wehavenotconnectedbothendsofthearrowstotheultimatesourcesandsinksofwater.
Ifyouwantedtodrawaclosedsystem,whatmightyouadd?
faucet
drain
Closedsystem
Nowwedonothaveanyunconnectedarrows!
Ifyouwantedtodrawaclosedsystem,whatmightyouadd?
Letssayyouwanttodisconnectfromtownwater…
faucet
drain
Closedsystem withfeedbackloop Ifyouwantedto
recycleyourbathwater,youmightconnectsomehomewater-purifyingsystem…
purifier
Whichtypeoffeedbackloopisinthehotwaterheater?
Balancing(negative)feedbackloopsholdasystemtoanequilibrium stateandmake itmore stable.
Reinforcing(positive)feedbackloopstendtomoveasystemawayfromequilibrium andmake itmoreunstable.
Watercoolsto102oF
Hotwaterheaterturnson
Waterheats to104oF
Hotwaterheaterturnsoff
Whichtypeoffeedbackloopisinthehotwaterheater?
Balancing(negative)feedbackloopsholdasystemtoanequilibrium stateandmake itmore stable.
Reinforcing(positive)feedbackloopstendtomoveasystemawayfromequilibrium andmake itmoreunstable.
Watercoolsto102oF
Hotwaterheaterturnson
Waterheats to104oF
Hotwaterheaterturnsoff
Reinforcingfeedbackloopsunderliesmanyenvironmentalproblems
Examples:• lossofbiodiversity• degradationofagriculturalsoils• globalclimatechange
Toaddresstheseproblems,weneedtoconsidercomplexinteractions,ratherthanmerelyonecomponentaloneorasinglecause-and-effectrelationship!
Recall:Reinforcingfeedbackloopstendstomakeasystemmoreunstable.
Systemsthinkingisanessentialtoolforaddressingsocietalchallenges
Suchas– energy,food,waterresources– climatechange– poverty– hazards
Thesechallengescutacrosshumanandnaturalsystems,involvemultipleinterdependentvariablesandfeedbacksthatarechangingovertimeandspaceandare• criticallyimportant,yet• complextopredict
Recalltoday’sgoals
• Definesystemsterminology.• Readandinterpretsimplesystemsdiagrams.
• Evaluateadiagram’sfittoadescriptionofasystem.
Nowwewilldothis
Listentothefirst2:00ofthisnewsstory
http://play.publicradio.org/default/d/podcast/minnesota/podcasts/climate_cast/2015/07/millerclimatecast_20150709_64.mp3(untilEricS.Kasischke beginsspeaking)
Writedownanythingyoucanidentifyasinfluencingclimate.
Workwithapartnertocompareliststhensortintocategories:
- fluxes- reservoirs- feedbacks
(3minutes!)
Withyourpartnerdiscuss:Doesthediagramfullyrepresentthecomplexityofthesystemdescribedbythespeaker? Ifnot,addtothediagram.
Wildfire
Wind
Lengthofsummer
Radiativeheating Radiative
heating
Wildfire
Wind
Deposition
Albedo
Lengthofsummer
Radiativeheating Radiative
heating
Oneoption
Youranswers
Wildfire
Wind
Lengthofsummer
Radiativeheating Radiative
heating
Howisyourbathtubdifferentfromthesimpleopensystembathtubweimagined
inclass?
1. Onthebackofyourbathtubdescription,drawasystemdiagramofyourbathtubathomeandusesystemsvocabularytoexplainhowitworksinaparagraph.
2. Usingsystemsvocabulary,writeaparagraphtoexplainthedifferences.
3. Whatquestionsdoyoustillhaveaboutyourdiagram?
Howdoyourateyourknowledgeofsystemsdiagramsrightnow?
And,reflectbrieflyonyourlearningtoday:Whataspectofclassmosthelpedyouimproveyourknowledgeofsystems?Why?
1. Ihaveneverheardofsystemsdiagrams.2. Ihaveheardofsystemsdiagrams,butcannot
elaborate.3. Icouldexplainalittleaboutsystemsdiagrams.4. Ifgivenasystemsdiagram,Icouldexplainit.5. Icouldcreateasystemsdiagramandthenexplainit.
