Onstabiel

Onstabiel is a Dutch adjective meaning not stable or not steady. It describes objects, systems, or conditions that tend to change, decompose, or shift away from a baseline state. In everyday language it can refer to emotional or situational volatility as well as physical properties. The word is formed with the negating prefix on- attached to stabiel, which stems from Dutch and Latin roots.

In science, unstable isotopes are nuclei that undergo radioactive decay to reach a more stable configuration. Their instability is described by half-lives and decay modes, such as alpha, beta, and gamma decay. In chemistry, unstable molecules or reaction intermediates react rapidly, often existing only briefly under certain conditions. Practical examples include reactive intermediates in synthesis and certain explosives or hazardous materials that require careful handling.

In engineering and physics, a system can be in an unstable equilibrium, where small disturbances grow over time and drive the system to a different state. In social, economic, or political contexts, instability refers to conditions lacking enduring order or predictability, such as volatile markets, geopolitical tensions, or fragile governments.

See also stability, unstable (concept in physics and chemistry), metastability.