Supercritical mass refers to the minimum amount of fissile material needed to sustain a nuclear chain reaction, where the rate of neutron production exceeds losses, leading to an exponential increase in energy release. Achieving supercritical mass is essential for the operation of nuclear reactors and the detonation of nuclear weapons, as it ensures the chain reaction proceeds at a desired rate.

Supercritical mass

Minimum amount of fissile material

A nuclear chain reaction occurs when a nuclear reaction causes additional reactions, leading to a self-sustaining series of reactions. This process is fundamental to both nuclear power generation and nuclear weapons, where it is carefully controlled or rapidly accelerated, respectively.

Nuclear Chain Reaction

Rate of neutron production

Energy release refers to the process by which energy is emitted, often as heat or light, during a physical or chemical transformation. This phenomenon is fundamental to many natural and technological processes, including combustion, nuclear reactions, and metabolic pathways.

Energy Release

Nuclear reactors are devices used to initiate and control a sustained nuclear chain reaction, primarily for electricity generation or research purposes. They operate on the principle of nuclear fission, where the nucleus of an atom splits into smaller parts, releasing a significant amount of energy in the process.

Nuclear Reactors

Detonation of nuclear weapons

A chain reaction is a sequence of reactions where a reactive product or by-product causes additional reactions to take place. This process can either be controlled, as in nuclear reactors, or uncontrolled, as in nuclear explosions, and is fundamental to both chemical and nuclear processes.

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