593:. This means that any transitions from this level are relatively unlikely to occur. In a sense, an electron that happens to find itself in a metastable configuration is trapped there. Since transitions from a metastable state are not impossible (merely less likely), the electron will eventually decay to a less energetic state, typically by an electric quadrupole transition, or often by non-radiative de-excitation (e.g., collisional de-excitation).
43:
140:
718:
invokes a notion of metastability for his understanding of systems that rather than resolve their tensions and potentials for transformation into a single final state rather, 'conserves the tensions in the equilibrium of metastability instead of nullifying them in the equilibrium of stability' as a
604:
seen in glow-in-the-dark toys that can be charged by first being exposed to bright light. Whereas spontaneous emission in atoms has a typical timescale on the order of 10 seconds, the decay of metastable states can typically take milliseconds to minutes, and so light emitted in phosphorescence is
278:
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. The particular motion or
706:
to elucidate how the human brain recognizes patterns. Here, the term metastability is used rather loosely. There is no lower-energy state, but there are semi-transient signals in the brain that persist for a while and are different than the usual equilibrium state.
682:
A digital circuit is supposed to be found in a small number of stable digital states within a certain amount of time after an input change. However, if an input changes at the wrong moment a digital circuit which employs feedback (even a simple circuit such as a
442:
is a well-known problem with large piles of snow and ice crystals on steep slopes. In dry conditions, snow slopes act similarly to sandpiles. An entire mountainside of snow can suddenly slide due to the presence of a skier, or even a loud noise or vibration.
171:. A ball resting in a hollow on a slope is a simple example of metastability. If the ball is only slightly pushed, it will settle back into its hollow, but a stronger push may start the ball rolling down the slope.
654:
can result in failure of a drug while in storage between manufacture and administration. The map of which state is the most stable as a function of pressure, temperature and/or composition is known as a
413:
are metastable. The metastability of silica glass, for example, is characterised by lifetimes on the order of 10 years (as compared with the lifetime of the universe, which is thought to be around
205:(in atomic nuclei or in atoms) or in molecules, macromolecules or clusters of atoms and molecules. Later, it was borrowed for the study of decision-making and information transmission systems.
190:
the state of least energy is the only one the system will inhabit for an indefinite length of time, until more external energy is added to the system (unique "absolutely stable" state);
529:, all states of a system have a non-zero probability to decay; that is, to spontaneously fall into another state (usually lower in energy). One mechanism for this to happen is through
631:
make chemical species at the energetic equivalent of the top of a round hill very short-lived. Metastable states that persist for many seconds (or years) are found in energetic
240:
below). The abundance of states is more prevalent as the systems grow larger and/or if the forces of their mutual interaction are spatially less uniform or more diverse.
664:
311:
liquid-gas mixtures. Extremely pure, supercooled water stays liquid below 0 °C and remains so until applied vibrations or condensing seed doping initiates
435:. It is possible for an entire large sand pile to reach a point where it is stable, but the addition of a single grain causes large parts of it to collapse.
193:
the system will spontaneously leave any other state (of higher energy) to eventually return (after a sequence of transitions) to the least energetic state.
914:
This is a highly stable molecule. About 11,500 calories of free energy are liberated when it is hydrolized to phosphate and adenosine-diphosphate (ADP).
179:. Higher energy isomers are long lived because they are prevented from rearranging to their preferred ground state by (possibly large) barriers in the
565:, although being a metastable excited state, is long-lived enough that it has never been observed to decay, with a half-life calculated to be least
589:
are an example of metastable excited atomic states. Transitions from metastable excited levels are typically those forbidden by electric dipole
175:
show similar metastability by either merely wobbling for a moment or tipping over completely. A common example of metastability in science is
824:
525:
is). Being excited – of an energy above the ground state – it will eventually decay to a more stable state, releasing energy. Indeed, above
650:. The difference between producing a stable vs. metastable entity can have important consequences. For instances, having the wrong crystal
925:
M.I. Ojovan, W.E. Lee, S.N. Kalmykov. An introduction to nuclear waste immobilisation. Third edition, Elsevier, Amsterdam, p.323 (2019)
1005:
344:
126:
398:(ATP) is a highly metastable molecule, colloquially described as being "full of energy" that can be used in many ways in biology.
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360:
186:
During a metastable state of finite lifetime, all state-describing parameters reach and hold stationary values. In isolation:
900:
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All other states besides the ground state (or those degenerate with it) have higher energies. Of all these other states, the
300:
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60:
107:
1125:
Lehnert, Björn; Hult, Mikael; Lutter, Guillaume; Zuber, Kai (2017). "Search for the decay of nature's rarest isotope Ta".
79:
143:
A metastable state of weaker bond (1), a transitional "saddle" configuration (2) and a stable state of stronger bond (3).
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688:
31:
86:
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of the active or reactive patterns with respect to the external influences defines stability and metastability (see
1313:
703:
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53:
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of the atoms involved has resulted in getting stuck, despite there being preferable (lower-energy) alternatives.
488:
93:
1021:
Hodgman, S. S.; Dall, R. G.; Byron, L. J.; Baldwin, K. G. H.; Buckman, S. J.; Truscott, A. G. (2009-07-31).
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424:
395:
75:
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can be in a metastable state, which lasts for a relatively long period of time. Molecular vibrations and
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252:
674:
Metastability is also used to refer to specific situations in mass spectrometry and spectrochemistry.
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which are not the lowest possible valley (point 1 in illustration). A common type of metastability is
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1101:
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1034:
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331:, which despite commonly being the first phase to form in many synthesis processes due to its lower
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are relatively short-lived, and are usually thermodynamically unstable rather than metastable. The
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The stability or metastability of a given chemical system depends on its environment, particularly
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Process
Chemistry in the Pharmaceutical Industry. Kumar G. Gadamasetti, editor. 1999, pp. 375–378
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Metastable phases are common in condensed matter and crystallography. This is the case for
251:) like electronic circuits, signal trafficking, decisional, neural and immune systems, the
100:
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and take an unbounded length of time to finally settle into a fully stable digital state.
659:. In regions where a particular state is not the most stable, it may still be metastable.
597:
521:
with respect to configurations of 'neighbouring' energies) but not eternal (as the global
484:
312:
221:
1273:"Governing progress: From cybernetic homeostasis to Simondon's politics of metastability"
1148:
1038:
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are one system which can exhibit metastability if a steep slope or tunnel is present.
1302:
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1023:"Metastable helium: a new determination of the longest atomic excited-state lifetime"
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343:
is a stable phase only at very high pressures, but is a metastable form of carbon at
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being the most stable phase at all temperatures and pressures. As another example,
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947:. page A6 (see PDF page 15, Table 2: "Age/Gyr", last column).
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lasting at least 10 to 10 times longer than the shortest lived states of the set.
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825:"Thermodynamic stability of boron: the role of defects and zero point motion"
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is a metastable phase used to control the hardness of most steel. Metastable
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centers. This is a common situation for the droplets of atmospheric clouds.
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487:) are found to have many distinguishable states. Of these, one (or a small
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In chemical systems, a system of atoms or molecules involving a change in
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Tales of the
Quantum: Understanding Physics' Most Fundamental Theory
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This slow-decay property of a metastable state is apparent in
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36:
351:(plus leftover kinetic energy), but only after overcoming an
267:" that affects signal propagation and the decision-making.
208:
Metastability is common in physics and chemistry – from an
201:. It then acquired new meaning in the study of aggregated
766:
Hanaor, Dorian A. H.; Sorrell, Charles C. (2011-02-01).
237:
937:"Planck 2018 results. VI. Cosmological parameters"
375:, acquiring a sample of the stable phase is difficult.
197:
The metastability concept originated in the physics of
895:(2nd ed.). Germany: Pergamon Press. p. 332.
768:"Review of the anatase to rutile phase transformation"
27:
Intermediate energetic state within a dynamical system
367:
are commonly observed. In some cases, such as in the
67:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
823:van Setten; Uijttewaal; de Wijs; de Groot (2007).
549:distributions) are much longer-lived than others (
212:(many-body assembly) to statistical ensembles of
619:Chemical equilibrium § Metastable mixtures
256:
232:, etc.) at molecular levels or as a whole (see
1271:Andrea Bardin, Marco Ferrari (27 March 2022).
30:For metastability in digital electronics, see
545:(having distinct spatial mass, charge, spin,
8:
259:below). In these systems, the equivalent of
585:Some atomic energy levels are metastable.
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378:The bonds between the building blocks of
127:Learn how and when to remove this message
832:Journal of the American Chemical Society
573:years, over 3 million times the current
138:
758:
1244:"metastable state in spectrochemistry"
271:Statistical physics and thermodynamics
1216:"metastable ion in mass spectrometry"
233:
7:
605:usually both weak and long-lasting.
65:adding citations to reliable sources
1102:"Rarest nucleus reluctant to decay"
319:Condensed matter and macromolecules
25:
667:recommends referring to these as
345:standard temperature and pressure
41:
52:needs additional citations for
1188:"transient (chemical) species"
1047:10.1103/PhysRevLett.103.053002
491:) is indefinitely stable: the
276:Non-equilibrium thermodynamics
1:
1100:Conover, Emily (2016-10-03).
935:Planck Collaboration (2020).
335:, is always metastable, with
263:in molecular systems is the "
199:first-order phase transitions
941:Astronomy & Astrophysics
772:Journal of Materials Science
581:Atomic and molecular physics
541:Some energetic states of an
517:is then long-lived (locally
327:, a metastable polymorph of
1000:. Oxford University Press.
972:10.1051/0004-6361/201833910
889:"Eighteen: Genesis of Life"
702:is a phenomenon studied in
506:states are the ones having
234:Metastable states of matter
32:Metastability (electronics)
1330:
1157:10.1103/PhysRevC.95.044306
887:Haldane, J. B. S. (1964).
704:computational neuroscience
700:Metastability in the brain
695:Computational neuroscience
612:
29:
1289:10.1177/00380261221084426
891:. In D. R., Bates (ed.).
793:10.1007/s10853-010-5113-0
347:. It can be converted to
689:enter a metastable state
671:rather than metastable.
167:other than the system's
1277:The Sociological Review
1257:10.1351/goldbook.M03876
1229:10.1351/goldbook.M03874
1201:10.1351/goldbook.T06451
1027:Physical Review Letters
963:2020A&A...641A...6P
355:– an intervening hill.
661:Reaction intermediates
451:Aggregated systems of
396:Adenosine triphosphate
144:
394:are also metastable.
169:state of least energy
142:
994:Hobson, Art (2017).
401:Generally speaking,
261:thermal fluctuations
61:improve this article
1309:Chemical properties
1149:2017PhRvC..95d4306L
1039:2009PhRvL.103e3002H
784:2011JMatS..46..855H
678:Electronic circuits
575:age of the universe
453:subatomic particles
431:form a pile due to
257:brain metastability
203:subatomic particles
159:is an intermediate
615:Chemical stability
467:, nucleons inside
301:sublimating solids
295:(also referred as
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1314:Dynamical systems
1127:Physical Review C
844:10.1021/ja0631246
602:photoluminescence
457:quantum mechanics
447:Quantum mechanics
353:activation energy
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862:. Archived from
838:(9): 2458–2465.
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515:metastable state
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161:energetic state
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561:. The isotope
559:technetium-99m
543:atomic nucleus
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489:degenerate set
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737:False vacuum
719:critique of
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59:Please help
54:verification
51:
725:homeostasis
723:notions of
644:temperature
429:Sand grains
309:superheated
307:liquids or
305:supercooled
291:Metastable
265:white noise
238:grain piles
1303:Categories
1140:1609.03725
1111:2016-10-05
954:1807.06209
902:1483135993
873:2019-07-08
753:References
742:Hysteresis
721:cybernetic
613:See also:
531:tunnelling
504:metastable
369:allotropes
361:polymorphs
357:Martensite
297:metastates
117:April 2011
87:newspapers
18:Metastable
1165:118497863
1065:0031-9007
1056:10440/978
981:119335614
802:1573-4803
747:Metastate
685:flip-flop
669:transient
652:polymorph
637:isomerism
609:Chemistry
508:lifetimes
481:molecules
473:electrons
440:avalanche
425:Sandpiles
407:colloidal
403:emulsions
371:of solid
214:molecules
163:within a
149:chemistry
1194:. 2014.
1073:19792494
852:17295480
810:97190202
731:See also
648:pressure
557:), e.g.
465:nucleons
433:friction
421:years).
392:proteins
382:such as
380:polymers
349:graphite
281:kinetics
249:feedback
230:minerals
1145:Bibcode
1035:Bibcode
959:Bibcode
908:May 29,
780:Bibcode
633:valleys
555:isotope
547:isospin
523:minimum
475:inside
463:inside
411:glasses
341:diamond
325:anatase
153:physics
101:scholar
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461:quarks
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390:, and
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337:rutile
247:(with
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