Control rods containing nuclides that very strongly absorb neutrons are used to adjust what?
thermal flux
nuclei flux
fission flux
neutron flux
Control rods containing nuclides that very strongly absorb neutrons are used to adjust neutron flux. To produce large power, reactors contain hundreds to thousands of critical masses, and the chain reaction easily becomes self-sustaining, a condition called criticality. Neutron flux should be carefully regulated to avoid an exponential increase in fissions, a condition called supercriticality. Control rods help prevent overheating, perhaps even a meltdown or explosive disassembly. The water that is 235 used to thermalize neutrons, necessary to get them to induce fission in U , and achieve criticality, provides a negative.