CHAIN REACTION

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does chain reaction mean? 

• CHAIN REACTION (noun)
  The noun CHAIN REACTION has 2 senses:

1. a series of chemical reactions in which the product of one is a reactant in the next

2. a self-sustaining nuclear reaction; a series of nuclear fissions in which neutrons released by splitting one atom leads to the splitting of others

  Familiarity information: CHAIN REACTION used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CHAIN REACTION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A series of chemical reactions in which the product of one is a reactant in the next

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural processes

Hypernyms ("chain reaction" is a kind of...):

chemical reaction; reaction ((chemistry) a process in which one or more substances are changed into others)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A self-sustaining nuclear reaction; a series of nuclear fissions in which neutrons released by splitting one atom leads to the splitting of others

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural processes

Hypernyms ("chain reaction" is a kind of...):

nuclear reaction ((physics) a process that alters the energy or structure or composition of atomic nuclei)

 Context examples 

The determination of the HIV viral load in a specimen using polymerase chain reaction.

(HIV Viral Load PCR Measurement, NCI Thesaurus)

A technique in which polymerase chain reaction is used to amplify specific nucleic acid sequences in a biospecimen.

(Line Probe Assay, NCI Thesaurus)

Meltwater ponds fracturing the ice below them may not cause protracted chain reactions that unexpectedly collapse floating ice shelves.

(Reframing the dangers Antarctica's meltwater ponds pose to ice shelves and sea level, National Science Foundation)

The determination of the hepatitis C viral load in a sample using polymerase chain reaction.

(Hepatitis C Viral Load PCR Measurement, NCI Thesaurus)

The determination of the hepatitis A viral load present in a sample using polymerase chain reaction.

(Hepatitis A Viral Load PCR Measurement, NCI Thesaurus)

EXAMPLE(S): tongue depressor, pacemaker, insulin pump, EKG machine, x-ray machine, mass spectrometer, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) machine, microscope, pH meter.

(Medical device, NCI Thesaurus/BRIDG)

Following amplification of reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction assay, the quantified amount of the target gene divided by the quantified amount of housekeeping gene.

(Normalized Quotient, NCI Thesaurus)

A modification of the standard polymerase chain reaction that increases the ability to preferentially amplify mutant alleles in the presence of an excess of wild-type molecules.

(Peptide Nucleic Acid Clamping, NCI Thesaurus)

Excess levels of either calcium or alpha-synuclein may be what starts the chain reaction that leads to the death of brain cells.

(Calcium May Play A Role in Development of Parkinson's Disease, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

The determination of the hepatitis B viral load in a sample using polymerase chain reaction.

(Hepatitis B Viral Load PCR Measurement, NCI Thesaurus)