A particle is in equilibrium when it is at rest and the total force acting on it is zero for all time. These conditions are equivalent to saying that r = r0 (a constant vector), and for all time, where r is the position vector of the particle. We then say that r0 is an equilibrium or equilibrium position.
Consider a rigid body experiencing a system of forces. Let F be the total force and M the moment of the forces about the origin. The rigid body is in equilibrium when it is at rest and F = 0 and M = 0 for all time.
A body, in equilibrium, is in stable equilibrium if, following a small change in its position, it returns to, or remains close to, the equilibrium position. It is in unstable equilibrium if, following a small change in its position, it continues to move further from the equilibrium position. See linear theory of equilibria, Lyapunov stability.