critical mass

SEE SYNONYMS FOR critical mass ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

Physics. the amount of a given fissionable material necessary to sustain a chain reaction at a constant rate.
an amount necessary or sufficient to have a significant effect or to achieve a result: a critical mass of popular support.

Origin of critical mass

First recorded in 1940–45

Words nearby critical mass

critical care unit, critical constant, critical constants, critical damping, critical density, critical mass, critical organ, critical path analysis, critical period, critical point, critical pressure

Words related to critical mass

climax, crisis, crossroads, emergency

British Dictionary definitions for critical mass

critical mass

noun

the minimum mass of fissionable material that can sustain a nuclear chain reaction
the minimum amount of money or number of people required to start or sustain an operation, business, process, etc the critical mass for a subscription digital sports channel

Scientific definitions for critical mass

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 big crunch.

Cultural definitions for critical mass

critical mass

In physics, the amount of material that must be present before a chain reaction can sustain itself.

notes for critical mass

The term critical mass is used to refer generally to the minimum amount of something needed to produce a given effect: “The town needs a critical mass of industry to attract more business.”