equilibrium

Equilibrium is a state of balance or a stable situation where opposing forces cancel each other out and where no changes are occurring. (noun)

An example of equilibrium is in economics when supply and demand are equal.
An example of equilibrium is when you are calm and steady.
An example of equilibrium is when hot air and cold air are entering the room at the same time so that the overall temperature of the room does not change at all.

See equilibrium in Webster's New World College Dictionary

a state of balance or equality between opposing forces
a state of balance or adjustment of conflicting desires, interests, etc.
1. the ability of the animal body to keep itself properly oriented or positioned; bodily stability or balance
2. mental or emotional stability or balance; poise
the condition in a reversible chemical reaction in which the products of the reaction are consumed by the reverse reaction at the same rate as they are formed, and there is no net change in the concentrations of the products or the reactants
the stage of a radioactive material at which the rate of disintegration and the rate of formation are equal for each intermediate product in the radioactive decay series

See equilibrium in American Heritage Dictionary 4

(ēˌkwə-lĭbˈrē-əm, ĕkˌwə-)

noun pl. e·qui·lib·ri·ums or e·qui·lib·ri·a (-rē-ə)

A condition in which all acting influences are canceled by others, resulting in a stable, balanced, or unchanging system.
Mental or emotional balance; poise.
Physics The state of a body or physical system at rest or in unaccelerated motion in which the resultant of all forces acting on it is zero and the sum of all torques about any axis is zero.
Chemistry The state of a chemical reaction in which its forward and reverse reactions occur at equal rates so that the concentration of the reactants and products does not change with time.

Learn more about equilibrium

» equilibrium synonyms

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