Final answer:
The steady state probabilities in a system with no absorbing states represent the long run probabilities of being in each state, indicating the balance the system achieves over time in terms of state distribution.The correct option is c.
Step-by-step explanation:
In a system with no absorbing states, the steady state probabilities represent the long run probabilities of being in each state. Unlike transient states where the system may exist temporarily, steady states are a reflection of the balance the system reaches over a long period of time.
These probabilities indicate how the system will be distributed across its states in the long run, provided the system continues to evolve according to its transition probabilities. Steady state probabilities do not describe the probability of transitioning in the next time step or the stages of the problem, and they do not apply to absorbing states since by definition, the system we are considering has no absorbing states.
To understand this concept, consider that in thermal dynamics, according to the second law of thermodynamics, systems tend to move toward higher entropy states. Similarly, in probabilistic systems, steady state probabilities align with the configurations that the system will most likely resolve to, given enough time. The correct option is c.