Weather systems are complex adaptive systems with characteristics of emergent patterns and self organizing with fronts developing and pressure and other factors affecting the development.
Changes in states of matter are examples of complex adaptive systems.
All of the different systems in the body are complex adaptive systems.
The immune system is a good example of a CAS. I think all the systems in the human body are CAS making the body as a whole another CAS. Kinda cool!
Ecosystems are a great example of CAS. I think each ecosystem would make up the CAS of the world in general. It’s a cool concept to think about.
In construction, the building of a structure is an example of a Complex Adaptive System in that the event that occur to create a building happen simultaneously, yet they do not “bump” into each other. The painter may be painting, while the electrician is running wires, All in all, the end result is spawned from these things occurring at the same time.
Climate system is a complex system. The agents are coming from the atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere, and the biosphere.
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One complex adaptive system in Physical Science would be the interactions among molecules in mixtures. Characteristics of CAS met by this phenomenon are 1) lack of a leader; 2) unpredictability of the interaction (although the action of the individual is somewhat predictable); 3) the rise of emergent patterns.
I really like your example. I think ecosystems are perfect examples of complex adaptive systems.
I have had my 8th grade physical science students create a Rube Goldberg device as a culminating project to demonstrate their understanding of energy. I really like the additional component of the complex adaptive system and encouraging students to develop a greater understanding of systems and how individual parts of a system affect the whole system.
I would say that the generation of crystals from different salts might be considered complex adaptive systems. They do create very beautiful displays and may appear to have “a mind of their own”.
The water cycle is a complex adaptive system. The individual tranformation and movement of condensation, evaporation, run-off etc, work together to produce the water cycle.
Thats a great example related to technology.
This is a real world example that students can relate to.
The science of sound waves is one of the units I teach in my Audio/Video Production. One of the pdf’s regarding Feedback Loops explained the feedback of a microphone well. As the feedback gets worsened and the squeal gets louder it is a positive loop as more frequency is gained (hence the term “gain” when used for volume in the world of audio). This element of feedback loops alone is a CAS.
In Life Science Body System is an example of a complex system. For example the Circulatory System, it is composed of the heart, the blood and the blood vessels. Every organ of the circulatory system must be taken care of in terms of nutrition. Man must eat nutritious/healthy food so heart will be healthy and strong to pumps blood throughout the body. However, if man always eats fatty food and high cholesterol the blood vessels can harden which will cause more work for the heart to pumps blood. Eventually this condition will have a negative feedback on the human heart (like formation of a heart disease).
In physical science students learn how photosynthesis of plants is an example of a chemical change. There are different energy transfers that take place and all work together so a plant can produce food.
I would say the matter in the Universe is a CAS.
The classroom is a complex adaptive system. Social patterns emerge on a changing basis due to a variety of factors. Social situations are a big contributor to change in patterns. We see both short and long term changes within the various micro-systems throughout the year.
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I agree, matter was the first system I though of.