Equilibrium temperature in a heat equation

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To find the equilibrium temperature distribution for a heat equation, $$U(x,t)$$ it is critical to note that the second partial derivatives WRT the space variables is zero.

Why is this so?

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An equilibrium distribution is stationary, therefore it does not evolve over time

$$\frac{\partial U}{\partial t} = 0$$

Substituting this in the heat equation immediately leads us to

$$\frac{\partial^2 U}{\partial x^2} = 0 \; .$$