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: For a '''nuclear chain reaction''' to occur each [[Nuclear Fission|nuclear fission]] event must cause the release of at least 1 [[neutron]] which can go on to cause a second [[Nuclear Fission|fission]] event.
: In a [[Nuclear Reactor|nuclear reactor]] on [[Mean Average|average]] 1 [[neutron]] from each [[Nuclear Fission|fission]] event goes on to cause one more [[Nuclear Fission|fission]] event. This results in a constant release of [[energy]].
: During [[Nuclear Fission|nuclear fission]] the [[neutron]]s produced usually have too much [[energy]] to be captured by the [[Atomic Nucleus|nucleus]] of another [[atom]], so they must be slowed down by a [[moderator]] to a lower [[energy]] in order for a '''chain reaction''' to occur.
: [[Neutron]]s with the right amount of [[energy]] to be captured are called [[Thermal Neutron|thermal neutron]]s because they have a similar [[energy]] to [[molecule]]s in the [[air]] at [[Room Temperature|room temperature]].
: A '''nuclear chain reaction''' can only happen if enough [[Thermal Neutron|thermal neutron]]s are produced from the [[Nuclear Fission|fission]] events.