Critical mass
In nuclear engineering, a critical mass is the smallest amount of fissile material needed for a sustained nuclear chain reaction. The critical mass of a fissionable material depends upon its nuclear properties (specifically, its nuclear fi ...
is the amount of fissile material needed to sustain nuclear fission.
Critical mass may also refer to:
Science and technology
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Critical mass (sociodynamics)
In social dynamics, critical mass is a sufficient number of adopters of a new idea, technology or innovation in a social system so that the rate of adoption becomes self-sustaining and creates further growth. The point at which critical mass is ac ...
, a stage in social-system innovation
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Critical mass (software engineering)
In software engineering, critical mass is a stage in the life cycle when the source code grows too complicated to effectively manage without a complete rewrite. At the critical mass stage, fixing a bug introduces one or more new bugs.
Tools such ...
, a stage in the product life cycle of software
Organizations
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Critical Mass (cycling)
Critical Mass is a form of direct action in which people meet at a set location and time and travel as a group through their neighbourhoods on bikes. The idea is for people to group together to make it safe for each other to ride bicycles throug ...
, a form of direct action involving large groups of bicycle riders
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Critical Mass (pressure group), a UK political pressure group
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Critical Mass Energy Project, an anti-nuclear umbrella group founded by Ralph Nader
** ''
Critical Mass Journal'', published in 1977 by the Critical Mass Energy Project
* Critical Mass, a co-working center sponsored by the
New England Venture Capital Association
* Critical Mass, a robotics team of the
Dwight-Englewood School
The Dwight-Englewood School (D-E) is an independent coeducational college-preparatory day school, located in Englewood, Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. The school teaches students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade in three ...
in Englewood, New Jersey
Literature
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''Critical Mass'' (book), a 2004 book by Philip Ball
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''Critical Mass'' (2013 book), a 2013 novel by
Sara Paretsky
Sara Paretsky (born June 8, 1947) is an American author of detective fiction, best known for her novels focused on the protagonist V. I. Warshawski.
Life and career
Paretsky was born in Ames, Iowa. Her father was a microbiologist and moved the ...
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"Critical Mass" (Pohl and Kornbluth short story), a 1962 story by Frederik Pohl and Cyril M. Kornbluth
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"Critical Mass" (Arthur C. Clarke short story), a 1949 short story by Arthur C. Clarke
* ''
Critical Masses: Opposition to Nuclear Power in California, 1958–1978'', a 1998 book by Thomas Wellock
* ''Critical Mass'', a 1990 seven-issue comic book anthology printed under Epic Comics's
Shadowline Saga imprint
Film and television
* ''Critical Mass'', a 1971 experimental short film from Hollis Frampton's ''
Hapax Legomena'' cycle
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Critical Mass (anime)
Right Stuf Inc. (formerly known as The Right Stuf International Inc.) is an American video publisher and distributor of video programming that specializes in Asian entertainment (anime and live action films). The company since 2022 is owned by ...
, a subdivision of the video publisher and distributor Right Stuf Inc.
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''Critical Mass'' (film), a 2000 film starring Treat Williams and Lori Loughlin
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"Critical Mass" (''Stargate Atlantis''), an episode of ''Stargate Atlantis''
Gaming
* ''
Duke Nukem: Critical Mass'', a shooter game developed by Frontline Studios
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''Critical Mass'' (1985 video game) or ''Power!'', a computer game by Durell Software
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''Critical Mass'' (1982 video game), an adventure game by
Sirius Software
Sirius Software was a video game publisher of Apple II, Atari 8-bit family, Commodore 64, and VIC-20 games in the early 1980s. Sirius also developed games for the Atari 2600 which were published by 20th Century Fox Video Games.
History
The com ...
* Critical Mass, a set of collectible miniature game figures by HeroClix
Music
Bands
* Critical Mass (Canadian band), a Catholic rock band formed in 1997
* Critical Mass (Dutch band), a Dutch happy hardcore group
Albums and songs
* Critical Mass (Dave Holland album), ''Critical Mass'' (Dave Holland album), 2006
* Critical Mass (Threshold album), ''Critical Mass'' (Threshold album), 2002
* Critical Mass (Matthew Shipp album), ''Critical Mass'' (Matthew Shipp album), 1995
* Critical Mass (Ra album), ''Critical Mass'' (Ra album), 2013
* "Critical Mass", a song by Aerosmith from ''Draw the Line (Aerosmith album), Draw the Line''
* "Critical Mass", a song by Nuclear Assault from ''Handle with Care (Nuclear Assault album), Handle with Care''
* "Critical Mass", a song by Chrome from ''Half Machine Lip Moves''
{{disambiguation