met·a·sta·ble (m t  -st  bl)adj. Of, relating to, or being an unstable and transient but relatively long-lived state of a chemical or physical system, as of a supersaturated solution or an excited atom. met a·sta·bili·ty (-st-b l-t ) n. |
metastable [ˌmɛtəˈsteɪbəl] Physics
adj
1. (Physics / General Physics) (of a body or system) having a state of apparent equilibrium although capable of changing to a more stable state
2. (Physics / General Physics) (of an atom, molecule, ion, or atomic nucleus) existing in an excited state with a relatively long lifetime
n
(Physics / General Physics) a metastable atom, ion, molecule, or nucleus
metastability n
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Adj. | 1. | metastable - (of physical systems) continuing in its present state of equilibrium unless sufficiently disturbed to pass to a more stable state of equilibrium natural philosophy, physics - the science of matter and energy and their interactions; "his favorite subject was physics" |
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