EQUILIBRIUM of flows
Charles François (2004). EQUILIBRIUM of flows, International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics, 2(1): 1153.
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(1) |
| ID | ◀ 1153 ▶ |
| Object type | General information, Methodology or model |
The result of an adequate compensation between incoming and outgoing flows in a system.
J.de ROSNAY comments: “When equilibrium is reached, a certain level maintains itself through time (… concentration of certain molecules in plasma, or state of a bank account). This particular state is called steady state and is quite different from the static state figured by the water level in some tank without communication with the outside”.
- “An unlimited number of steady states are possible. This is what allows an open system to adapt and meet the enormous variety of the environment's modifications” (1975, p.118).