Critical mass
Critical Mass
Critical mass (/ˈkrɪtɪkəl mæs/) is a term used in various fields, including physics, sociology, and medicine. In the context of medicine, it refers to the point at which a disease or health condition becomes severe enough to cause noticeable symptoms or complications.
Etymology
The term "critical mass" originates from the field of nuclear physics, where it refers to the smallest amount of fissile material needed for a sustained nuclear chain reaction. It was later adopted in other fields to denote a threshold or tipping point.
Medical Context
In medicine, critical mass is often used to describe the stage at which a disease or health condition has progressed to a point where it begins to cause noticeable symptoms or complications. This can apply to a wide range of conditions, from cancer and infectious diseases to mental health disorders.
For example, a tumor may reach a critical mass when it grows large enough to press against nearby organs or tissues, causing pain or other symptoms. Similarly, an infectious disease may reach a critical mass when the number of infected individuals in a population is high enough to sustain an outbreak.
Related Terms
- Threshold effect: A phenomenon in which a small increase in the intensity or duration of a stimulus causes a sudden change in the response.
- Tipping point (sociology): The point at which a series of small changes or incidents becomes significant enough to cause a larger, more important change.
- Epidemic threshold: The critical number or density of susceptible hosts required for an epidemic to occur.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Critical mass
- Wikipedia's article - Critical mass
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