- the minimum amount of fissile material that can sustain a nuclear chain reaction under a given set of conditions
- the minimum amount or number required for something to happen, begin, etc.
critical mass
critical massWebster's New World College Dictionary, Fifth Edition Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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"critical mass." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 05 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/critical-mass>.
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critical mass. (n.d.). Retrieved December 05th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/critical-mass
critical mass
noun
- The smallest mass of a fissionable material that will sustain a nuclear chain reaction at a constant level.
- The total mass of matter needed to generate sufficient gravitational force to halt the current expansion of the universe.
- An amount or level needed for a specific result or new action to occur: “[Plastic bags are] so nearly weightless that it's difficult to gather enough of a critical mass to make recycling them economically worthwhile” ( Susan Freinkel )
THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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"critical mass." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 05 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/critical-mass>.
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critical mass. (n.d.). Retrieved December 05th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/critical-mass
- The smallest mass of a fissionable material that will sustain a nuclear chain reaction.
- The amount of matter needed to generate sufficient gravitational force to halt the current expansion of the universe.
See also big bang
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"critical mass." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 05 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/critical-mass>.
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critical mass. (n.d.). Retrieved December 05th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/critical-mass
Noun
(plural critical masses)
- (physics) the amount of fissile material needed to support a self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction
- the tipping point
Proper noun
- A direct action event in which bicycle riders travel through city streets as a group.
English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.
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"critical mass." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 05 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/critical-mass>.
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critical mass. (n.d.). Retrieved December 05th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/critical-mass
critical mass - Investment & Finance Definition
The point at which a company can achieve self-sustaining viability because its revenues have risen enough to make the business activity profitable because the related costs are spread across a wide range of customers.
Webster's New World Finance and Investment Dictionary Copyright © 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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MLA Style
"critical mass." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 05 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/critical-mass>.
APA Style
critical mass. (n.d.). Retrieved December 05th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/critical-mass
