IB ESS 1.3

The first law of thermodynamics is...

the principle of conservation of energy, which states that energy in an isolated system can be transformed but cannot be created or destroyed

The second law of thermodynamics states that...

the entropy of a system increases over time. Entropy is a measure of the amount of disorder in a system. An increase in entropy arising from energy transformations reduces the energy available to do work

Destabilizing positive feedback mechanisms will...

drive systems towards these tipping points, whereas stabilizing negative feedback mechanisms will resist such changes

A stable equilibrium is...

the condition of a system in which there is a tendency for it to return to the previous equilibrium following disturbance

A steady-state equilibrium is...

the condition of an open system in which there are no changes over the longer term, but in which there may be oscillations in the very short term

A tipping point is...

the minimum amount of change within a system that will destabilize it, causing it to reach a new equilibrium or stable state

As an open system, an ecosystem will normally exist in a _________, either in a steady-state equilibrium or in one developing over time (for example, succession), and maintained by stabilizing negative feedback loops

stable equilibrium

Negative feedback loops (stabilizing) occur when...

the output of a process inhibits or reverses the operation of the same process in such a way as to reduce change—it counteracts deviation

Positive feedback loops (destabilizing) will tend to...

amplify changes and drive the system towards a tipping point where a new equilibrium is adopted

The resilience of a system, ecological or social, refers to its...

tendency to avoid such tipping points and maintain stability