Prompt criticality

Prompt criticality is when a nuclear reaction happens really quickly and out of control. It's like trying to eat too much candy at once - your body can't handle it and things get out of hand.

When atoms split in a controlled way in a nuclear reactor, they release energy to make electricity. But if too many atoms split at once and release too much energy, it can cause an explosion- kind of like a balloon popping.

To avoid this, nuclear reactors have certain materials and structures in place to control the amount of energy released. But if something goes wrong and these controls are lost, a prompt criticality can happen and things can get dangerous quickly.

So, think of prompt criticality as when things in a nuclear reactor get out of control like a big, explosive mess. To prevent this from happening, scientists and engineers have to be very careful and follow strict rules and procedures to ensure that these reactors stay safe.