in thermodynamics, a thermodynamic system, originally called a "working substance", is defined as that part of the universe that is under consideration. 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 thermodynamic systems is based on the nature of the boundary and the quantities flowing through it, such as matter, energy, work, heat, and entropy. a system can be anything, for example a cylinder, a solution in a test tube, a living organism, or a planet, etc.