Because the contaminated molecules are currently in a metastable state.
These varying thermodynamically stable contact angles are known as metastable states.
This element also has eight metastable states, though all have half-lives less than one second.
This article is about the phenomenon where a liquid can exist in a metastable state above its boiling point.
Thermodynamically, a glass is in a metastable state with respect to its crystalline counterpart.
Lastly the fourth term takes into account relaxation of the metastable state.
The parameters of excited systems may reach and hold stationary values (a metastable state).
However, when an electron goes to a metastable state, it remains there for a relatively longer duration of 10 seconds.
In addition, 29 metastable states have been characterized.
Forbidden transitions from metastable states are often called as satellite lines.