Concept explainers
Interpretation:
The role of critical mass for a chain reaction is to be explained.
Concept introduction:
That minimum amount of nuclear material which is required to cause a chain reaction, is said to be a critical mass.
Answer to Problem 3RQ
To cause a chain reaction to continue without stopping, a small amount of nuclear material is required to cause a chain reaction, that minimum amount of material is known as critical mass.
Explanation of Solution
The critical mass is the lowest amount of the material which is used to achieve a self- sustaining fission chain reaction under suitable conditions. It depends on some conditions which are given as,
- The types of fission material which are used in it.
- Its concentration and purity
- Its composition
- And, the structure of the surrounding reaction system.
Specially, it is used to cause a chain reaction to continue without stopping.
On the whole, it is clear that the critical mass is the lowest nuclear material which is used to generate a chain reaction continuously without stopping.
Chapter 19 Solutions
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