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Non-equilibrium thermodynamics is a branch of physics that studies the dynamics of statistical ensembles of molecules via unstable states. Being "stuck" in a thermodynamic trough without being at the lowest energy state is known as having kinetic stability or being kinetically persistent.
In chemistry, chemical stability is the thermodynamic stability of a chemical system, in particular a chemical compound or a polymer. [ 1 ] Chemical stability may also refer to the shelf-life of a particular chemical compound; that is the duration of time before it begins to degrade in response to environmental factors.
It is possible for an ecosystem or a community to be stable in some of their properties and unstable in others. For example, a vegetation community in response to a drought might conserve biomass but lose biodiversity. [3] Stable ecological systems abound in nature, and the scientific literature has documented them to a great extent.
Steady-states can be stable or unstable. A steady-state is unstable if a small perturbation in one or more of the concentrations results in the system diverging from its state. In contrast, if a steady-state is stable, any perturbation will relax back to the original steady state. Further details can be found on the page Stability theory.
Stable equilibrium can refer to: Homeostasis, a state of equilibrium used to describe organisms; Mechanical equilibrium, a state in which all particles in a system are at rest, and total force on each particle is permanently zero; Balance of nature, a theory in ecological science; Stability theory, a theory in mathematics
The potential energy is at a local maximum, which means that the system is in an unstable equilibrium state. If the system is displaced an arbitrarily small distance from the equilibrium state, the forces of the system cause it to move even farther away. Diagram of a ball placed in a stable equilibrium. Second derivative > 0
Bauer formulated the "Universal Law of Biology" in the following edition: "All and only living systems are never in equilibrium and perform constant work at the expense of their free energy against the equilibrium required by the laws of physics and chemistry under existing external conditions".
Quasistatic equilibrium, the quasi-balanced state of a thermodynamic system near to equilibrium in some sense or degree; Schlenk equilibrium, a chemical equilibrium named after its discoverer Wilhelm Schlenk taking place in solutions of Grignard reagents; Solubility equilibrium, any chemical equilibrium between solid and dissolved states of a ...