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Metastable and kinetically persistent species or systems are not considered truly stable in chemistry. Therefore, the term chemically stable should not be used by chemists as a synonym of unreactive because it confuses thermodynamic and kinetic concepts. On the other hand, highly chemically unstable species tend to undergo exothermic unimolar ...
Stable stratification of fluids occurs when each layer is less dense than the one below it. Unstable stratification is when each layer is denser than the one below it. Buoyancy forces tend to preserve stable stratification; the higher layers float on the lower ones. In unstable stratification, on the other hand, buoyancy forces cause convection ...
Atmospheric instability is a condition where the Earth's atmosphere is considered to be unstable and as a result local weather is highly variable through distance and time. [ clarification needed ] [ 1 ] Atmospheric instability encourages vertical motion, which is directly correlated to different types of weather systems and their severity.
Turbulent mixing in stratified flows is described by mixing efficiency. This mixing efficiency compares the energy used in irreversible mixing, enlarging the minimum gravitational potential energy that can be kept in the density field, to the entire change in mechanical energy during the mixing process. It can be defined either as an integral ...
A biogeochemical cycle, or more generally a cycle of matter, [1] is the movement and transformation of chemical elements and compounds between living organisms, the atmosphere, and the Earth's crust. Major biogeochemical cycles include the carbon cycle , the nitrogen cycle and the water cycle .
Many, but not all, biochemical pathways evolve to stable, steady states. As a result, the steady state represents an important reference state to study. This is also related to the concept of homeostasis, however, in biochemistry, a steady state can be stable or unstable such as in the case of sustained oscillations or bistable behavior.
The atmospheric carbon cycle also strongly influences Earth's energy balance through the greenhouse effect, and affects the acidity or alkalinity of the planet's surface waters and soils. Despite comprising less than 0.05% of all atmospheric gases by mole fraction , [ 7 ] the recent rise in carbon concentrations has caused substantial global ...
A metastable state of weaker bond (1), a transitional "saddle" configuration (2) and a stable state of stronger bond (3). In chemistry and physics, metastability is an intermediate energetic state within a dynamical system other than the system's state of least energy. A ball resting in a hollow on a slope is a simple example of metastability.