Metastability

{
  "id": "MLC-T-CHM-007266",
  "term": "Metastability",
  "field": "Chemistry",
  "definition": "A state of a system that is not in its lowest energy (thermodynamically stable) state but is kinetically trapped in a local energy minimum. Such a state can persist for long periods until a perturbation provides enough energy to overcome an activation barrier, allowing it to transition to a more stable state. Supercooled water is an example of a metastable liquid.",
  "subject": "Inorganic Chemistry",
  "see_also": [
    "Boltzmann constant",
    "Gibbs energy",
    "Helmholtz energy",
    "thermodynamic temperature"
  ],
  "references": [
    "PAC, 1994, 66, 577. 'Definitions of terms relating to phase transitions of the solid state (IUPAC Recommendations 1994)' on page 586 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199466030577)"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/chemistry/metastability/"
}