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In nuclear physics, a cross section is essentially the probability that a nucleus will interact with something. An isotope with a high fission cross section, like U-235, is very likely to absorb a thermal (slow) neutron and undergo fission. The cross section has units of area, usually cm2, which is where the name comes from. When the cross section is multiplied by the neutron flux, the product is the fission rate, or number of fissions per second.

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13y ago

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