metastable
Stable until disturbed
Metastable describes a state that appears stable but isn't at the lowest possible energy—a small disturbance can trigger a shift to a more stable configuration.
A ball resting in a shallow depression on a hillside is metastable: stable enough to stay put, but a nudge sends it rolling down.
The term appears in physics, chemistry, and materials science: supercooled water is metastable until something triggers crystallization.
Figuratively, metastable can describe any precarious equilibrium: The ceasefire was metastable at best.
Liquid chilled below freezing
- supersaturationExceeding dissolution equilibrium limits
- nucleationInitial cluster formation
- phaseDistinct period in sequence
- crystallizationForming ordered solid structure
polymerization · annealing · quenching · amorphous · solidification · precipitation · undercooling · solution
Stimulation of response
- half-lifePeriod for fifty-percent reduction
- isomersSame formula, different structure
- decayGradual organic breakdown
- spinRapid rotation around axis
nuclear · isotope · gamma-ray · electron · atom · quantum · spectroscopy · radioactive
Obstruction preventing passage
- kineticsScience of motion forces
- perturbationState of being unsettled
- relaxationState of being unwound
- pathwayDesignated route for travel
catalyst · threshold · triggering · cascade · collapse · transformation · reconfiguration · dynamics
Latent capacity for development
- dormantInactive but capable
- storedKept in reserve
- unreleasedNot yet distributed
- pent-upConfined and building pressure
ready · primed · waiting · coiled · loaded · charged · reservoir · capacity
Condition of constant balance
- trappedUnable to escape
- balancedIn a state of equilibrium
- poisedCalm and controlled
- suspendedHalted or hanging temporarily
homeostasis · persistence · plateau · constancy · resilience · maintained · sustained
Easily broken or damaged
- delicateEasily broken or harmed
- tenuousLacking solid foundation
- volatileLiable to sudden change
- vulnerableOpen to attack
brittle · shaky · temporary · transient · fleeting · impermanent · ephemeral · short-lived
supercooling
Liquid chilled below freezing
- supersaturationExceeding dissolution equilibrium limits
- nucleationInitial cluster formation
- phaseDistinct period in sequence
crystallization · polymerization · annealing · quenching · amorphous · solidification · precipitation · undercooling · solution · saturation
excitation
Stimulation of response
- half-lifePeriod for fifty-percent reduction
- isomersSame formula, different structure
- decayGradual organic breakdown
spin · nuclear · isotope · gamma-ray · electron · atom · quantum · spectroscopy · radioactive · emission
barrier
Obstruction preventing passage
- kineticsScience of motion forces
- perturbationState of being unsettled
- relaxationState of being unwound
pathway · catalyst · threshold · triggering · cascade · collapse · transformation · reconfiguration · dynamics · mechanism
potential
Latent capacity for development
- dormantInactive but capable
- storedKept in reserve
- unreleasedNot yet distributed
pent-up · ready · primed · waiting · coiled · loaded · charged · reservoir · capacity · untriggered
steady-state
Condition of constant balance
suspended · homeostasis · persistence · plateau · constancy · resilience · maintained · sustained
fragile
Easily broken or damaged
vulnerable · brittle · shaky · temporary · transient · fleeting · impermanent · ephemeral · short-lived · provisional
- stabilitysteady, firmness, equilibrium, unsteady, steadiness
- quantum statesground state, excited state, mixed state, qubit, singlet
- matter statessolid, liquid state, plasma, vapor, gaseous
- phase changesphase transition, phase change, sublimation, solidification, liquefaction
metastablestable
Secure and unchanging
ground state · equilibrium · unstable · labile · reactive
metastablepermanent
Fixed without end
irreversible · transient · fleeting · ephemeral · persistent
- metastable statesConditionally persistent configurations
stable, stability, unstable, stabilize, instability, unstableness, stableness