{
  "id": "equilibrium.state",
  "term": "equilibrium",
  "sense": "state",
  "pos": "noun",
  "status": "review",
  "level": 16,
  "arena": "abstract",
  "domain": "window",
  "style": "window",
  "definition": "a position where a parameter is held without work, which is not the same as balance",
  "folk_gloss": null,
  "emergence": {
    "components": [
      "parameter.condition",
      "window.range",
      "drift.aimless",
      "boundary.limit",
      "model.representation",
      "balance.state",
      "held.grip",
      "hold.physical",
      "position.spatial",
      "work.effort"
    ],
    "interaction": "Drift acts on a parameter within its window, but no maintenance work is needed to keep it at a position where the boundary constraints and physical holding suffice.",
    "novel_properties": [
      "spontaneous stability",
      "rest without effort",
      "self-maintained position"
    ]
  },
  "examples": [
    {
      "text": "A superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) maintains zero electrical resistance below 9.2K, requiring no energy input to sustain current flow.",
      "domain": "physics"
    },
    {
      "text": "The International Space Station orbits Earth at 400 km altitude, held in freefall equilibrium by gravitational and inertial forces.",
      "domain": "engineering"
    },
    {
      "text": "A neuron's resting membrane potential of -70mV persists without active ion pumping until signaling occurs.",
      "domain": "biology"
    }
  ],
  "relations": [
    {
      "id": "balance.state",
      "type": "contrasts-with",
      "note": "equilibrium does not require maintenance, while balance does"
    }
  ],
  "used_by": [],
  "forms": [
    "equilibrium"
  ],
  "closed": true,
  "provenance": {
    "author": "retrofit:qwen/qwen3-235b-a22b-2507",
    "date": "2026-07-29",
    "confidence": 0.8,
    "sources": [
      "Sample/abstract-concepts-as-ranges.md"
    ],
    "reconciled": {
      "by": "openrouter:qwen/qwen3-235b-a22b-2507",
      "date": "2026-07-31",
      "changed": "components",
      "note": "Added missing components including balance.state and work.effort to align record with definition. Definition kept as-is since it accurately describes the emergent state once components are fully accou"
    }
  },
  "canonical": "https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-equilibrium.state"
}