Types of systems: natural and artificial

Made by nature or made by people

Your book sorts systems into two types. Natural systems occur in nature without human intervention. Artificial systems are created by humans to fulfil specific needs or purposes. Fig. 1.4 shows a galaxy (natural) and a screw gauge (artificial).

Natural systems come in four kinds, each built from the one before. Physical systems follow the laws of physics. Chemical systems emerge when atoms bond, like water (H₂O). Biological systems emerge when molecules form living cells.

Psychological systems involve the mind and behaviour: thoughts, emotions and mental processes. They emerge when the brain's physical and chemical processes give rise to thoughts and behaviour.

Artificial systems come in three kinds. Knowledge systems capture, store and manage information: mathematics, logic, databases and information management systems. Engineering systems apply engineering to tasks: civil, mechanical, chemical, electrical and software.

Social systems organize how people live and work together: academic institutions, governments and organizations. Fig. 1.5 shows Mathematics (knowledge), Attock Bridge (engineering) and Punjab University (social).

Your book's physical example says hydrogen gas (H) forms when an electron, proton and neutron combine. Ask your teacher about this line: most hydrogen atoms have no neutron, and hydrogen gas is H₂.

Natural: physical, chemical, biological, psychological. Artificial: knowledge, engineering, social. Ask one question: did people make it?

Key terms

Natural system

A system that exists in nature and runs on natural laws.

Artificial system

A system built to fulfil a need or solve a problem.

Knowledge system

Capturing, storing and retrieving knowledge for decisions and learning.

Social system

Maintaining order, providing services and connecting people.

Short questions with model answers

1. Q1. Differentiate between natural and artificial systems, with one example of each.

   • Origin.
   • Purpose.
   • Examples.

   Natural: in nature, no human design (galaxy). Artificial: built by people for a purpose (screw gauge).

2. Q2. Show how the four natural systems build on one another.

   • Physical to chemical.
   • Chemical to biological.
   • Biological to psychological.

   Physical → chemical → biological → psychological: each emerges from the one before.

Common mistakes

• ✗ Calling mathematics a natural system because numbers seem to exist everywhere.

  ✓ Your book lists mathematics as an artificial knowledge system (Fig. 1.5).

• ✗ Calling thoughts and emotions a biological system.

  ✓ They are psychological systems, which emerge from biological ones.

• ✗ Calling a university an engineering system because it has buildings.

  ✓ A university organizes people to teach, so it is a social system (Punjab University, Fig. 1.5).

MCQs

1. 1. Which of these is a natural system in Fig. 1.4?

   1. (a) A galaxy
   2. (b) A screw gauge
   3. (c) Attock Bridge
   4. (d) A database
   Show answer

   (a) Fig. 1.4, p. 7.

2. 2. Water (H₂O) forming when hydrogen bonds with oxygen is your book's example of a:

   1. (a) Physical system
   2. (b) Biological system
   3. (c) Chemical system
   4. (d) Engineering system
   Show answer

   (c) Section 1.2.1.2, p. 7.

3. 3. A robotic arm packaging products in a factory is an example of:

   1. (a) Civil engineering
   2. (b) Software engineering
   3. (c) Chemical engineering
   4. (d) Mechanical engineering
   Show answer

   (d) Section 1.2.2.2, p. 9.

4. 4. MySQL and MongoDB are examples of which knowledge system?

   1. (a) Logic
   2. (b) Databases
   3. (c) Mathematics
   4. (d) Governments
   Show answer

   (b) Section 1.2.2.1, p. 9.

5. 5. Thoughts, emotions and mental processes belong to:

   1. (a) Social systems
   2. (b) Knowledge systems
   3. (c) Psychological systems
   4. (d) Physical systems
   Show answer

   (c) Section 1.2.1.4, p. 8.

Quick revision

• Natural systems exist without human design; artificial systems are built by people for a purpose.
• Natural: physical, chemical, biological, psychological, each emerging from the one before.
• Artificial: knowledge, engineering and social systems.