Critical size

Critical size

The critical size is the minimum size of a nuclear reactor core or nuclear weapon that can be made critical for a specific geometrical arrangement and material composition. The critical size must at least include enough fissionable material to reach critical mass. If the size of the fissionable material is less than a certain minimum, fission neutrons escape through its surface and the chain reaction is not sustained.



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  • critical size — The average size of the fish in a year class at the time when the instantaneous rate of natural mortality equals the instantaneous rate of growth in weight for the year class as a whole. Also called: optimum size …   Fisheries — dictionary

  • critical size

— The average size of the fish in a year class at the time when the instantaneous rate of natural mortality equals the instantaneous rate of growth in weight for the year class as a whole. Also called: optimum size …   Fisheries — dictionary

  • critical size — the average size of the fish in a year class at the time when the instantaneous rate of natural mortality equals the instantaneous rate of growth in weight for the year class as a whole (Ricker, 1975). Also called optimum size …   Dictionary of ichthyology

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