disequilibria

Disequilibria refer to states in which the conditions of a system do not correspond to thermodynamic, mechanical, or economic balance. In such states, measurable imbalances drive flows or reactions that move the system toward equilibrium. Disequilibria can be temporary or persistent, depending on external constraints and internal feedbacks, and may involve gradients in energy, matter, or information.

Economics: Market disequilibria occur when prices do not reflect the balance of supply and demand, yielding excess demand or excess supply. External shocks, price controls, transaction costs, and information asymmetries can sustain disequilibria. Price adjustment mechanisms, rationing, and market frictions gradually restore equilibrium, though new disequilibria can arise from changing conditions.

Chemistry and thermodynamics: Chemical disequilibrium exists when reactant and product concentrations are not at their equilibrium values, causing net reactions. In open or dynamic systems, sustained flows of energy and matter can maintain disequilibria, enabling processes that would not occur at equilibrium, such as living metabolism. In physics, temperature or chemical potential gradients produce fluxes that move the system toward equilibrium, often described by non-equilibrium thermodynamics.

Ecology and systems theory: Non-equilibrium dynamics describe ecosystems that are continually perturbed or subject to disturbances, displaying oscillations, phase shifts, or resilience without a fixed equilibrium state. The study of disequilibria emphasizes how systems adapt, reorganize, and evolve in the face of constant change.