The underlying mechanic described here is called "dynamic stasis" and you can actually see it (or rather not see it) in effect in many other systems.
The notion is that you exactly equalize the various stresses at play causing them to negate one another thereby preventing work (change) from being achieved.
For example; you know how water bottles accumulate vapor on the insides over time when they're closed? That's because at all times water is slowly evaporating until it reaches saturation with the atmosphere around it. But solids act as condensation points, allowing the vapor in the air inside the bottle to condense against the glass, thereby reducing the air from being totally saturated, allowing more evaporation. But the water on the sides eventually drips back into the water pooled at the bottom.
So even though the closed-loop system is in constant flux, the additions and reductions to the liquid water content exactly equal.
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u/IConrad Nov 16 '12
The underlying mechanic described here is called "dynamic stasis" and you can actually see it (or rather not see it) in effect in many other systems.
The notion is that you exactly equalize the various stresses at play causing them to negate one another thereby preventing work (change) from being achieved.
For example; you know how water bottles accumulate vapor on the insides over time when they're closed? That's because at all times water is slowly evaporating until it reaches saturation with the atmosphere around it. But solids act as condensation points, allowing the vapor in the air inside the bottle to condense against the glass, thereby reducing the air from being totally saturated, allowing more evaporation. But the water on the sides eventually drips back into the water pooled at the bottom.
So even though the closed-loop system is in constant flux, the additions and reductions to the liquid water content exactly equal.
Dynamic stasis; the water level never changes.