1.14.13: Closed System
A closed system is effectively a closed reaction vessel. As chemists we are interested in changes in chemical composition of the closed system. The condition “closed” means that while observing the processes taking place inside the system, we do not add more chemical substances to the system from the surroundings or remove chemical substance from the system into the surroundings. Actually the thermodynamic treatment of closed systems is simpler than for other systems. The system and surroundings interact by virtue of, for example, heat passing between system and surroundings.