zuständen

Zuständen is the dative plural form of the German noun Zustand, meaning "states" or "conditions." It appears in German texts to refer to the various conditions of a system or object. The base word Zustand derives from zu- "toward, in reference to" and Stand "state, standing." In technical contexts, Zuständen is used in phrases such as "in verschiedenen Zuständen" to discuss multiple states or conditions.

In physics, Zustände denotes system states, including quantum states. In quantum mechanics, a pure state is represented by a state vector in Hilbert space, while a statistical mixture is described by a density operator. State properties may be observable only after measurement; the concept of state is central to evolution via the Schrödinger equation.

In thermodynamics, a state describes the condition of a system at a given moment, characterized by state variables such as temperature, pressure, and volume. The equation of state links these variables; state functions depend only on the current state, not the path taken.

In computing, state refers to the stored information about a system's status. Finite state machines, automata, and many software components use discrete Zustände to model control flow, with transitions triggered by inputs. States store data, enabling memory and sequential behavior.

Beyond science and engineering, Zuständen appears in everyday German to describe conditions, such as health or equipment status. The translation to English depends on context: "state," "condition," or "status."