subcritical
Not yet critical
Subcritical describes a state below a critical threshold.
In nuclear physics, a subcritical mass of fissile material cannot sustain a chain reaction—there's not enough to keep the process going.
The term applies wherever systems have tipping points: subcritical flow in fluid dynamics, subcritical conditions in any process that hasn't reached the point of self-sustaining change.
Nuclear breakup releasing energy
- neutronsUncharged subatomic particles
- chain reactionSelf-sustaining causal sequence
- criticalityState of utmost importance
- plutoniumActinide, atomic number 94
uranium · reactor · moderator · coolant · control rods · breeder · thorium · isotopes
Edge of acceptability
- approachingComing toward something
- cuspPoint of transition
- vergeBorder or cusp
- limitMaximum allowed extent
margin · brink · edge · boundary · tipping point · inflection · transitional · incipient
Kept within limits
- controlledKept within limits
- stableSecure and unchanging
- nonhazardousPosing no risk
- benignNot harmful or threatening
harmless · shielded · safeguard · failsafe · shutdown · quenched · dampened · suppressed
Vapor turning to liquid
- vaporGaseous form of liquid
- humidityMoisture in atmosphere
- evaporationLiquid turning to gas
- saturationState of complete permeation
boiling · heat transfer · droplets · nucleation · phase change · thermodynamics · pressure · temperature
fission
Nuclear breakup releasing energy
- neutronsUncharged subatomic particles
- chain reactionSelf-sustaining causal sequence
- criticalityState of utmost importance
plutonium · uranium · reactor · moderator · coolant · control rods · breeder · thorium · isotopes · heavy water
borderline
Edge of acceptability
- approachingComing toward something
- cuspPoint of transition
- vergeBorder or cusp
limit · margin · brink · edge · boundary · tipping point · inflection · transitional · incipient
contained
Kept within limits
- controlledKept within limits
- stableSecure and unchanging
- nonhazardousPosing no risk
benign · harmless · shielded · safeguard · failsafe · shutdown · quenched · dampened · suppressed · risk-averse
condensation
Vapor turning to liquid
- vaporGaseous form of liquid
- humidityMoisture in atmosphere
- evaporationLiquid turning to gas
saturation · boiling · heat transfer · droplets · nucleation · phase change · thermodynamics · pressure · temperature · supercooled
- Nuclearnuclear reactor, atomic bomb, nuclear energy, atomic bombs, uranium
- nuclear physicsnuclear energy, fission, nuclear fission, neutron, proton
- Reactor Statessupercritical, shutdown, startup, scram, steady state
- nuclear weaponsatomic bomb, atom bomb, warheads, hydrogen bomb, a-bomb
subcriticalsupercritical
Beyond a critical threshold
critical · self-sustaining · overcritical · runaway · hypercritical
critical, criticism, critic, critique, critically, uncritical, hypocritical, hypercritical, noncritical