control rod
noun
plural control rods
: a rod of a neutron-absorbing material (such as boron carbide) used to regulate the rate of nuclear fission in a reactor
Examples of control rod in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Desperate Measures To restart one or more reactors, Rosatom must lift the reactors’ control rods and dilute the boronic acid in the plant’s primary cooling water.
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IEEE Spectrum, 7 July 2023
Within seconds, control rods positioned above reactors at Ukraine’s three working plants dropped into cores to absorb neutrons and stop the chain reaction that could lead to a meltdown.
—Marc Santora, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2023
In the case of an accident in any reactor, control rods crafted from neutron-absorbing materials like cadmium plummet into the core and halt a runaway chain reaction that could otherwise lead to a core meltdown.
—Michael Koziol, IEEE Spectrum, 1 June 2018
IEEE Spectrum, 7 July 2023
Within seconds, control rods positioned above reactors at Ukraine’s three working plants dropped into cores to absorb neutrons and stop the chain reaction that could lead to a meltdown.
—Marc Santora, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2023
In the case of an accident in any reactor, control rods crafted from neutron-absorbing materials like cadmium plummet into the core and halt a runaway chain reaction that could otherwise lead to a core meltdown.
—Michael Koziol, IEEE Spectrum, 1 June 2018
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'control rod.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1906, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near control rod
Cite this Entry
“Control rod.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/control%20rod. Accessed 29 Sep. 2023.
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