reaction mass

English

Noun

reaction mass (plural reaction masses)

1. Fuel for nuclear energy.
   • 1984, Chemical Engineering:

     A small rise in the temperature of the reaction mass increases the reaction rate, which further increases the temperature of the mass.

   • 1981, Willard F. Libby, Talking to People, →ISBN:

     Our proposal involves the use of liquid core fission reactors to heat reaction mass, probably hydrogen, to stellar temperatures; ...

   • 1966, Robert Anson Heinlein, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Putnam Publishing Group:

     But hydrogen is expensive in Luna and any mass could be reaction mass; it just would not be as efficient.

2. (aerospace) Working mass.

Anagrams

• aromaticness