Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

prompt criticality

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.37 in modern English

Syllables: promp-t -crit-i-cal-i-ty
IPA

30

Scrabble Score

17

Letters

7

Syllables

10

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The point at which the prompt neutrons produced by a nuclear fission chain reaction are just sufficient to sustain the chain reaction on their own (the state of being prompt critical); past this point, changes in reaction power are controlled by changes in the prompt neutron flux, and occur on a timeframe of milliseconds, too rapidly to be controlled by mechanical means.

Uncountable

Example Sentences

"The system is thought to have approached prompt criticality, at which time the rate of power increase would have been determined by the neutron lifetime (on the order of milliseconds)."

Usage

Uncountable

Inflected Forms

prompt criticalities (plural)

Frequently Paired Words

delayed criticality

Questions

What does prompt criticality mean?: The point at which the prompt neutrons produced by a nuclear fission chain reaction are just sufficient to sustain the chain reaction on their own (the state of being prompt critical); past this point, changes in reaction power are controlled by changes in the prompt neutron flux, and occur on a timeframe of milliseconds, too rapidly to be controlled by mechanical means.

How to pronounce prompt criticality

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “prompt criticality”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “prompt criticality”.
Repeat and practice — Say “prompt criticality” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.