Transitions

Transitions denote changes from one state, condition, or place to another. They are ubiquitous across disciplines, often governed by rules, signals, or processes, and can be gradual or abrupt.

In language and writing, transitions are devices—words or phrases such as however, therefore, and meanwhile—that link ideas, indicate relationships, or show sequence.

In formal systems, a transition is a move from one state to another. In automata theory and computer science, the transition function defines how inputs drive state changes; in Markov chains the transition matrix gives probabilities of moving between states.

In physics and chemistry, phase transitions describe changes between states of matter, such as solid to liquid, often with critical phenomena. Transitions can be first-order or continuous, with latent heat and diverging correlations near critical points.

In arts and media, transitions refer to techniques for moving from one scene or section to another, including cuts, fades, dissolves, and wipes in film, and transitions between sections or motifs in music.

Transitions also appear in social and technological contexts, describing shifts in systems or practices over time, such as energy transitions, developmental transitions in biology and psychology, or changes in cultural and organizational states. They are analyzed to understand timing, causality, and the effects of moving from one regime to another.