Chain Reactions: How One Spark Leads to Another

A chain reaction happens when one reaction triggers more reactions in sequence.
In combustion, a single spark can keep fuel burning continuously.
Nuclear chain reactions split atoms, releasing massive amounts of energy.
Each step of a chain reaction produces products that drive the next step.
The process can grow rapidly if each event triggers more than one new event.
Controlled chain reactions power nuclear reactors safely for electricity.
Uncontrolled chain reactions lead to explosions, as in atomic bombs.
Polymerization can also proceed as a chemical chain reaction.
Even biological processes, like free radical damage, follow chain reaction patterns.
Chain reactions show how small beginnings can unleash huge outcomes in science and nature.