chain reaction

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Jump to navigation Jump to search

English[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

  • (file)

Noun[edit]

chain reaction (plural chain reactions)

  1. (physical chemistry) A chemical reaction where the products of the reaction influence the reactants of a following reaction, leading to positive feedback.
    polymerase chain reaction
  2. (nuclear physics) A nuclear reaction in which particles produced by the fission of one atom trigger fissions of other atoms.
    The Manhattan Project produced the first recorded controlled chain reaction.
  3. (figurative) A series of events, each one causing or influencing the next.
    • 2010, Robert W. Kolb, Lessons from the Financial Crisis[1], John Wiley & Sons, →ISBN:
      That is, systemic risk is the risk of a chain reaction of falling interconnected dominos.

Derived terms[edit]

Translations[edit]

Further reading[edit]