| sense of equilibrium | The sense that makes possible a normal physiologic posture. Synonym: static sense. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| Donnan equilibrium | An equilibrium established between a charged, immobile colloid (such as clay, ion exchange resin or cytoplasm) and a solution of electrolyte. Characteristics: ions of like charge to the colloid tend to be excluded, ions of opposite charge tend to be attracted, the colloid compartment is electrically polarized relative to the solution in the same direction as the colloid charges (a Donnan potential) and the osmotic pressure is higher in the colloid compartment. (18 Nov 1997) |
| dynamic equilibrium | Balance A condition in which no further net change is occuring in a system, and free energy is minimimal. (09 Oct 1997) |
| thermodynamic equilibrium | <radiobiology> There is a very general result from statistical mechanics which states that, if a system is in thermodynamic equilibrium with another (or several other) system, all processes by which the systems can exchange energy must be exactly balanced by their reverse processes, so that there is no net exchange of energy. For plasma systems in thermodynamic equilibrium, ionisation must be balanced by recombination, Bremsstrahlung by absorption, and so on. When thermodynamic equilibrium exists, the distribution function of particle energies and excited energy levels of the atoms can be obtained from the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution (which is a function only of the temperature). The Saha equation is a special application of this. (09 Oct 1997) |
| equilibrium | Balance A condition in which no further net change is occuring in a system, and free energy is minimimal. (09 Oct 1997) |
| equilibrium centrifugation | A type of density gradient centrifugation used to separate proteins or nucleic acids from a mixture. (09 Oct 1997) |
| equilibrium constant | <chemistry> The ratio of the reverse and forward rate constants for a reaction of the type: A + B = AB at equilibrium the equilibrium constant (K) equals the product of the concentrations of reactants divided by the concentration of product and has dimensions of concentration. Kd = (concentration A.concentration B) / (concentration AB). The affinity constant (Ka) is the reciprocal of the equilibrium constant. Dimension: moles per litre. In general the concept of Kd is more readily understood than that of Ka, for example: in considering the conversion of A to AB by the binding of ligand B, the Kd = B when A = AB. Thus Kd is equal to the ligand concentration which produces half maximal conversion (response). (10 Jan 1998) |
| equilibrium dialysis | In immunology, a method for determination of association constants for hapten-antibody reactions in a system in which the hapten (dialyzable) and antibody (nondialyzable) solutions are separated by semipermeable membranes. Since at equilibrium the quantity of free hapten will be the same in the two compartments, quantitative determinations can be made of hapten-bound antibody, free antibody, and free hapten. (05 Mar 2000) |
| equilibrium potential | <physiology> The membrane potential at which a particular type of ion or other particle does not diffuse through the membrane in either direction. (09 Oct 1997) |
| linkage equilibrium | <genetics> Situation that should exist in a population undisturbed by selection, migration, etc., in which all possible combinations of linked genes should be present at equal frequency. The situation is no more common than are such undisturbed populations. (18 Nov 1997) |