In a nuclear reactor, failure of control rods may cause the system to become too hot and melt down because the control rods absorb ____________ and thus decrease the number of atoms undergoing ____________.
A)radiation; decay
B)radiation; fusion
C)neutrons; fission
D)neutrons; fusion

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Control rods work by absorbing neutrons, which slows down or stops the chain reaction of nuclear fission in the reactor. If the control rods fail and are unable to absorb enough neutrons, the number of atoms undergoing fission will increase, causing the system to become too hot and potentially melt down. The other answer choices are not correct because they do not accurately describe the function of control rods in a nuclear reactor.

In a Nuclear Reactor, Failure of Control Rods May Cause