What is a process?
Q: What is a process?
A: A process is a series of stages in time where the last stage is the product, result or goal. Processes may be planned or unplanned and can involve activities such as building a house, fighting a battle, sowing crops, organising a wedding, etc.
Q: Are all processes planned by humans?
A: No, some processes are natural and not planned by humans. Examples include volcanic eruption, the evolution of the solar system; biological evolution; the melting of ice and other phase changes; the process of development from egg to adult.
Q: Can processes repeat?
A: Yes, many processes repeat whenever certain conditions hold. For example car low on petrol/gas requires you to visit garage and refill it. Most computer programs also follow this type of pattern.
Q: Are there any cyclical processes?
A: Yes, some processes are cyclical such as planets revolve around sun; eggs produce chickens, and chickens produce eggs. Rain water flows into rivers, evaporates, and returns as rain.
Q: Is feedback involved in some processes?
A: Yes, especially those which are cyclical may be subject to feedback such as with central heating systems where temperature sensors detect when heat needs to be increased or decreased accordingly.
Q: What are examples of natural processes that are not planned by humans?
A: Examples include volcanic eruption, the evolution of the solar system; biological evolution; the melting of ice and other phase changes; the process of development from egg to adult.
