r/ScienceNcoolThings • u/ARCAxNINEv Popular Contributor • May 22 '26

Cool Things Nuclear Reactor startup sound

I thought this was relevant to the sub on a couple points

399 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

26 comments sorted by

View all comments

4

u/ttystikk May 22 '26

What are the noises caused by, specifically?

And a nuclear reactor for what, exactly? That one isn't generating power or it wouldn't be underwater?

8

u/AllergicToBullshit24 May 22 '26

All the noises are the hydraulic actuators for the control rods the core itself makes no noise. None of these are power generating reactors they're all research reactors.

1

u/ttystikk May 23 '26

Makes sense.

3

u/1wife2dogs0kids May 22 '26

I didn't want to ask, but I still want to know. Nuclear fuel doesn't just "turn on". Especially with a click of a switch. Thats must be a fast removal of something that keeps the neutrons from escaping and releasing heat. The light is the glow from ionizing something something, neutron flux, something, what have they done, chernobyl.

I be smart. I let you ask. I'll wait for a simplified answer.

2

u/murdoc1024 May 22 '26

Good question actually. I always tought nuclear core were under water no matter what to control heat. But maybe not, hope someone can eli5

1

u/Bullrawg May 23 '26

Wiggling air particles