chain reactor
- noun
- /tʃeɪn riˈæktər/
- Specialized
:
reactor en cadena
- Scientists work to ensure the safety of every chain reactor in operation.
Examples
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The Chernobyl disaster was caused by a failure in a chain reactor system.
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The chain reactor is crucial for energy production.
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A properly designed chain reactor can generate electricity for thousands of homes.
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Many scientists study chain reactors for their efficiency.
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The scientists operate a chain reactor that generates electricity through nuclear fission.
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In a chain reactor, a controlled series of nuclear reactions produces substantial energy.
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Engineers are designing new chain reactors to enhance the efficiency of energy production.
Synonyms
248
6.3
A machine that uses a controlled nuclear reaction to make energy or new elements
42
4.8
A machine that makes heat and electricity by splitting atoms in a controlled way
2
8.4
An early nuclear reactor used to create a controlled chain reaction
1
4.3
A machine that splits atoms to make energy for electricity or research
An early device that makes energy by splitting atoms
Surface Forms
Morphology
The combination of 'chain' (a series of linked events) and 'reactor' (a device producing power) readily suggests a reactor that operates by a chain reaction, so a learner who knows both words can infer the general idea. However, the precise technical sense—a controlled nuclear fission chain reaction—and the specialized usage are domain-specific rather than everyday composition, so the meaning is not fully predictable without some subject knowledge.
Etymology
Chain reactor is named after the idea of a 'chain reaction' — one atom breaking sends out tiny pieces that make other atoms break, like a line of falling dominoes. So the machine called a reactor keeps this chain going to make 'energy'.