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The New DU. Reply #14: Fission does not necessarily occur within a chain reaction.
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themadstork
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Sun Apr-03-11 06:48 PM
Response to Reply #9 |
| 14. Fission does not necessarily occur within a chain reaction. |
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I believe the fission that occurs when the control rods are properly inserted is spontaneous (ie radioactive decay). Spontaneous fission can start a chain reaction if a critical mass is present. I have no idea how the fuel in this case would go critical. Did something happen to the control rods? Did the fuel all melt and heap into critical mass? How does this happen?
I am only a lowly English major, so no guarantees that anything I say re nuclear reactions is sound. caveat emptor, etc.
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