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Equilibrium and Balance

Equilibrium and Balance

The inner ear assumes dual functionalities of auditory perception and equilibrium maintenance. The vestibule is the organ responsible for balance. This organ contains mechanoreceptors, specifically hair cells, endowed with stereocilia, which aid in deciphering information regarding the position and motion of our heads. Two intrinsic components, the utricle and saccule, help perceive head position, while the semicircular canals track head movement. Neurological messages initiated in the...

Balancing Redox Equations

Balancing Redox Equations

Electrochemistry is the science involved in the interconversion of electrical and chemical reactions. Such reactions are called reduction-oxidation, or redox reactions. These important reactions are defined by changes in oxidation states for one or more reactant elements and include a subset of reactions involving the transfer of electrons between reactant species. Electrochemistry as a field has evolved to yield sufficient insights on the fundamental principles of redox chemistry and multiple...

Static Equilibrium - II

Static Equilibrium - II

Static equilibrium is a special case in mechanics that is very important in everyday life. It occurs when the net force and the net torque on an object or system are both zero. This means that both the linear and angular accelerations are zero. Thus, the object is at rest, or its center of mass is moving at a constant velocity. However, this does not mean that no forces are acting on the object within the system. In fact, there are very few scenarios on Earth in which no forces are acting upon...

Imbalances in Cardiac Output

Imbalances in Cardiac Output

The heart's primary function is to pump blood throughout the body, maintaining a balance between blood sent out (cardiac output) and blood returning (venous return). If this balance is disrupted, it can result in congestive heart failure (CHF), a severe condition where the heart becomes an inefficient pump, leading to inadequate blood circulation.
CHF can occur due to the failure of either side of the heart. Left-side failure leads to pulmonary congestion—the right side continues to send blood...

Rigid Body Equilibrium Problems - II

Rigid Body Equilibrium Problems - II

A rigid body is in static equilibrium when the net force and the net torque acting on the system are equal to zero.
Consider two children sitting on a seesaw, which has negligible mass. The first child has a mass (m1) of 26 kg and sits at point A, which is 1.6 meters (r1) from the pivot point B; the second child has a mass (m2) of 32 kg and sits at point C. How far from the pivot point B should the second child sit (r2) to balance the seesaw?

Static Equilibrium - I

Static Equilibrium - I

A rigid body is said to be in dynamic equilibrium when both its linear and angular acceleration are zero, relative to an inertial frame of reference. This means that a body in equilibrium can be moving, but only when its linear and angular velocities are constant. A rigid body is said to be in static equilibrium when it is at rest in the selected frame of reference. The distinction between static equilibrium (e.g., a state of rest) and dynamic equilibrium (e.g, a state of uniform motion) is...

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Updated: Jun 19, 2026

A Vibrotactile Feedback Device for Seated Balance Assessment and Training

A Vibrotactile Feedback Device for Seated Balance Assessment and Training

Published on: January 20, 2019

Comment: Detailed balance revisited.

R Dean Astumian¹

¹Department of Physics, University of Maine, Orono, Maine 04469-5709, USA. astumian@maine.edu

Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics : PCCP

|October 16, 2009

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Detailed balance, crucial for chemical kinetics, ensures systems reach equilibrium only in isolated environments. Closed systems can be driven away from equilibrium using external energy, enabling molecular machines.

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Last Updated: Jun 19, 2026

A Vibrotactile Feedback Device for Seated Balance Assessment and Training

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A Modified Lean and Release Technique to Emphasize Response Inhibition and Action Selection in Reactive Balance

A Modified Lean and Release Technique to Emphasize Response Inhibition and Action Selection in Reactive Balance

Published on: March 19, 2020

Area of Science:

Chemical Kinetics
Thermodynamics
Physical Chemistry

Background:

Detailed balance is a fundamental concept in chemical kinetics, linking equilibrium and rate constants.
A recent study proposed that the ratio of forward/reverse rate constants equaling the equilibrium constant guarantees relaxation to equilibrium.
This assertion, however, is only valid for isolated systems.

Discussion:

In closed systems, energy exchange with the environment allows for non-equilibrium stationary states.
Externally driven oscillations of thermodynamic parameters (e.g., pressure, electric field) can maintain these states.
This phenomenon challenges the universality of detailed balance as the sole condition for equilibrium attainment.

Key Insights:

The condition of detailed balance (ratio of rate constants equals equilibrium constant) is insufficient to guarantee equilibrium in closed systems.
Closed systems can be maintained in non-equilibrium stationary states by external energy input.
This opens possibilities for utilizing chemical systems as free-energy transducers.

Outlook:

Further research into non-equilibrium thermodynamics and molecular machines.
Designing molecules that function as free-energy transducers.
Exploring applications of externally driven chemical systems.