reaction mass

noun

Fuel for nuclear energy.

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Meanings

nounreaction mass (plural reaction masses)

plural reaction masses

  1. Fuel for nuclear energy.

    But hydrogen is expensive in Luna and any mass could be reaction mass; it just would not be as efficient.

    1966, Robert Anson Heinlein, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Putnam Publishing Group
    2 more examples

    A small rise in the temperature of the reaction mass increases the reaction rate, which further increases the temperature of the mass.

    1984, Chemical Engineering

    Our proposal involves the use of liquid core fission reactors to heat reaction mass, probably hydrogen, to stellar temperatures; ...

    1981, Willard F. Libby, Talking to People, →ISBN
  2. space flightWorking mass.
Cite this entry
APA

reaction mass. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/reaction%20mass

MLA

“reaction mass.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/reaction%20mass. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “reaction mass,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/reaction%20mass.

Source: reaction mass on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.