The degree of coordinative unsaturation of a surface cation measures the number of bonds involving the cation that have to be broken to form a surface. As the degree of coordinative unsaturation increases, more bonds are broken and the metal cation becomes destabilized. The destabilization of the cation increases the surface Gibbs energy, which decreases the overall stability. For example, the rutile (110) surface is more stable than the rutile (100) and (001) surfaces because it has a lower degree of coordinative unsaturation.