Unstable equilibrium

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created: 2022-07-10 15:52:54
modified: 2022-07-10 16:04:15

An unstable equilibrium is an equilibrium point for which the second derivative of the potential energy is negative, in opposition to a stable equilibrium:

In multiple dimensions, this means that the

expression is negative for all nonzero vectors.

Relation to force

For particles in unstable equilibriums, for small deviations the force acting on the particle pushes it away from the equilibrium point.