Preferred Label : metastability;
Detailed label : metastability of a phase;
IUPAC definition : A term that describes the state of a phase in which an energy barrier considerably
higher than k.T must be surmounted before this phase can transform to a phase of lower
molar Gibbs energy and molar Helmholtz energy, where k is the Boltzmann constant and
T the thermodynamic temperature.;
Scope note : in a thermodynamic sense, the equilibrium state is the state with the lowest molar
gibbs energy; a metastable state corresponds to a relative minimum in the molar gibbs
energy.;
Origin ID : M03871;
See also
A term that describes the state of a phase in which an energy barrier considerably
higher than k.T must be surmounted before this phase can transform to a phase of lower
molar Gibbs energy and molar Helmholtz energy, where k is the Boltzmann constant and
T the thermodynamic temperature.
