Final answer:
The statement is true; living things are part of a larger system that includes non-living elements, and they continuously interact with these elements through exchanges of matter and energy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that living things work as a system at the same time they cannot be separated from non-living things since they are both operating as a system is true. Living organisms are highly organized systems that require a constant input of energy to maintain their low entropy, or high level of order.
Through the process of energy consumption and transformation, living organisms interact with their environment, which includes both abiotic (non-living) and biotic (living) factors. These interactions involve complex exchanges of matter and energy, wherein all biological systems, from individual cells to entire ecosystems, are affected.
All biological systems are open systems that rely on these interactions to survive. The exchange of matter and free energy with non-living elements of the environment is a fundamental aspect of life. Thus, living systems and non-living components are intricately connected, contributing to the overall system's operation.