Criticality

{
  "id": "MLC-T-NUC-000102",
  "term": "Criticality",
  "field": "Nuclear energy and radiation",
  "definition": "The condition involving fission of nuclear materials when the number of neutrons produced equals or exceeds the nuclear containment. During normal reactor operations, nuclear fuel sustains a fission chain reaction or criticality. A reactor achieves criticality (and is said to be critical) when each fission event releases a sufficient number of neutrons to sustain an ongoing series of reactions.",
  "references": [
    "NRC Glossary"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/nuclear/criticality/"
}