In a thermodynamics problem, the surroundings, or environment, are anything not part of the system. They are separated from the system by a real or imaginary boundary. Together with the system, they make up the universe. This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... In thermodynamics, the system is the object under consideration. ... The only real closed system. ...
The surroundings do not contain any processes of interest. However, they can usually exchange energy and sometimes even matter with the system, influencing the processes that occur there. Matter is commonly referred to as the substance of which physical objects are composed. ...
A real or imaginary boundary separates the system from the rest of the universe, which is referred to as the environment or surroundings (sometimes called a reservoir.) A useful classification of thermodynamicsystems is based on the nature of the boundary and the quantities flowing through it, such as matter, energy, work, heat, and entropy.
The working substance could be put in contact with either a heat reservoir (a boiler), a cold reservoir (a stream of cold water), or a piston (to which the working body could do work by pushing on it).
With every change of volume (to the working body) a certain amount work must be done by the gas or upon it, since by its expansion it overcomes an external pressure, and since its compression can be brought about only by an exertion of external pressure.
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