Why does lowering the control rods in a nuclear reactor reduce the amount of energy released each second from the nuclear fuel?
The boron control rods absorb slow-moving neutrons (thermal neutrons), which means that there are less available neutrons in the reactor. Since nuclear fission requires a collison between a neutron and a uranium nucleus, less neutrons means less fission reactions taking place. Hence, the rate of energy production decreases.
LC
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