noun, na-adjective
metastable; metastability
Technical term in physics and chemistry describing a state that is stable under small disturbances but not at the lowest possible energy; can transition to a more stable state with sufficient perturbation.
An atom in a metastable state transitions to a lower energy state with a slight stimulus.
この合金は室温では準安定相をとる。
This alloy takes a metastable phase at room temperature.