NUCLEAR REACTION

Pronunciation (US):

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does nuclear reaction mean? 

• NUCLEAR REACTION (noun)
  The noun NUCLEAR REACTION has 1 sense:

1. (physics) a process that alters the energy or structure or composition of atomic nuclei

  Familiarity information: NUCLEAR REACTION used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• NUCLEAR REACTION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural processes

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

action; activity; natural action; natural process (a process existing in or produced by nature (rather than by the intent of human beings))

Domain category:

natural philosophy; physics (the science of matter and energy and their interactions)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "nuclear reaction"):

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

decay; disintegration; radioactive decay (the spontaneous disintegration of a radioactive substance along with the emission of ionizing radiation)

endoergic reaction (a nuclear reaction occurring with absorption of energy)

exoergic reaction (a nuclear reaction accompanied by the evolution of energy)

fission; nuclear fission (a nuclear reaction in which a massive nucleus splits into smaller nuclei with the simultaneous release of energy)

fusion; nuclear fusion; nuclear fusion reaction (a nuclear reaction in which nuclei combine to form more massive nuclei with the simultaneous release of energy)

spallation ((physics) a nuclear reaction in which a bombarded nucleus breaks up into many particles)