Fission and fusion. All fusion boms are trigered by a fission weapon.

The term atomic bomb is a general one. It refers to any kind of nuclear weapon. But there are basically a couple of different types of nuclear weapon: the fission weapon, and the fusion weapon. (We can split hairs and add some, but let's not.) In a "regular" atomic or nuclear weapon, a fission weapon, subcritical masses of fissile material, usually plutonium, are driven together by conventional explosives and the thing goes off. Boom! There is fission, but no fusion. That differentiates this type of weapon from a fusion device. The term fusion deviceis used to talk about what used to be called the hydrogen bomb. The fusion weapon must have a fission device to create the heat necessary for fusion to occur, and it uses the fission bomb to "trigger" fusion in that light. If someone uses the term "fission bomb" in a presentation, they are not talking about the so-called hydrogen bomb or any fusion weapon - if they are using the term correctly.

An atomic weapon is an alternative name for a nuclear weapon, a weapon which derives its energy from the nuclear reactions of either fusion or fission.

Some famous implode systems include but are not limited to nuclear weapon design, pure fission weapons, boosted fission weapons, two-stage thermonuclear weapons and pure fusion weapons to name some.

Press tab to change between weapon 1 and weapon 2.