The photostationary state of a reversible photochemical reaction is the equilibrium chemical composition under a specific kind of electromagnetic irradiation (usually a single wavelength of visible or UV radiation). It is a property of particular importance in photochromic compounds, often used as a measure of their practical efficiency and usually quoted as a ratio or percentage. The position of the photostationary state is primarily a function of the irradiation parameters, the absorbance spectra of the chemical species, and the quantum yields of the reactions. The photostationary state can be very different from the composition of a mixture at thermodynamic equilibrium. As a consequence, photochemistry can be used to produce compositions that are "contra-thermodynamic." For instance, al