What Is a System?

Learn how a system takes an input signal and generates an output signal.

None of the signals generated in nature or by humans exist in isolation. In reality, they are processed by systems that take an input to produce an output.

System examples

A system is a phenomenon, device, or algorithm that acts on an input signal to generate an output signal. Let’s discuss some examples below.

Natural systems

  • A prism splits white light into its essential seven colors.
  • From pollination to the water cycle, there are complicated interactions among organisms and nature that give rise to an intricate set of systems.
  • The ozone layer filters out harmful ultraviolet light coming from the sun.

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