Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Isolated systems are completely sealed off from their surroundings, preventing any exchange of matter or energy.
Related terms
Conservation laws: Principles stating that certain properties (such as energy or momentum) remain constant within an isolated system unless acted upon by external forces.
A state where there is no net change occurring within an isolated system.
First law of thermodynamics: Also known as the law of conservation of energy, it states that energy cannot be created or destroyed within an isolated system; it can only be transferred or transformed.