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### Fundamentals Of Physics

Book edition 10th Edition
Author(s) David Halliday
Pages 1328 pages
ISBN 9781118230718

# A nuclear reactor is operating at a certain power level, with its multiplication factor k adjusted to unity. If the control rods are used to reduce the power output of the reactor to 25% of its former value, is the multiplication factor now a little less than unity, substantially less than unity, or still equal to unity?

The multiplication factor for power output to 25% of its former value remains unity.

See the step by step solution

## Step 1: Multiplication Factor

The ratio of the number of neutrons for a particular generation of power to the number of neutrons initially for the same power generation is called the multiplication factor.

## Step 2: Whether the multiplication factor is less than unity or equal to the unity

The multiplication factor for power output to 25% of its former value remains unity because the control rod provides a reduced number of neutrons. The number of neutrons provided by the control rod completes the deficiency of neutrons due to a reduction in power output.

Therefore, the multiplication factor for power output to 25% of its former value remains unity.