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The standard hydrogen bomb is a Teller-Ulam design which utilizes a Fission-Fusion-Fission sequence.
The primary is a fission device, likely boosted with tritium, not too different from the Fat Man implosion bomb used over Nagasaki; although it is much more efficient. The minimum critical mass for Pu-239 is about 25 pounds (11kg).
The secondary is a fusion-fission device, utilizing the x-ray radiation from the primary to compress & heat a light element. At the center of this is a hollow tube of Pu-239. As the secondary compresses, the Pu-239 tube (aka "spark plug") compresses as well and achieves criticality giving a fission reaction. This may require another 25 pounds (~11kg) of Pu-239.
So a rough estimate is about 50lbs (~22kg) for both fission processes. However, there are ways to create a super-critical mass using less material through the use of neutron reflectors, tritium boosting, neutron-initiators and other methods that are not common knowledge.
Nations that possess nuclear weapons don't give precise details for reasons of national security, so an exact answer to your question would require a security clearance of some sort, and a need to know.
So the best answer to your question is not much more than 50 pounds, or 11kg per weapon, probably a lot less.
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How much plutonium would be needed to build a standard hydrogen bomb?
The first plutonium fission bomb used 6.2 kilograms of plutonium.The first stage of a hydrogen bomb is a fission bomb. By using better explosives to compress the plutonium and tritium gas boosting it is probably possible to use 2 kilograms to 3 kilograms of plutonium here.Each fusion stage uses a plutonium "sparkplug" rod that runs the length of that stage to initiate fusion. The exact dimensions (and thus the weight) of plutonium used here is classified Top Secret Restricted Data. It is possible that these "sparkplugs" may even be hollow tubes (to allow neutrons a free path the entire length), which might eliminate more than 90% of the weight of a solid rod while improving its performance.As a "ballpark guess" without reliable data to base it on, each stage of a modern hydrogen bomb (both the fission first stage and all fusion stages) probably uses less than 3 kilograms of plutonium.A standard two stage hydrogen bomb would then use less than 6 kilograms of plutonium and a three stage hydrogen bomb (the largest size ever built) would then use less than 9 kilograms of plutonium.
How much TNT is in a Plutonium Bomb?
Nuclear weapons with plutonium don't contain TNT.
How much plutonium is in the second atomic bomb?
Nagasaki (Japan) - 9 August 1945 - a bomb containing 6,4 kg of Plutonium 239
Briefly explain how a hydrogen bomb works and how its differs from an atom bomb?
A Hydrogen bomb uses heavy Hydrogen or Deuterium to create a fusion chain reaction. Before that can happen however there needs to be a smaller fission explosion (atomic bomb). The radiation from this trigger explosion is directed into a hollow chamber like a bucket pointed at the atomic bomb, which contains Deuterium. Often there is a rod of Plutonium running the length of the bucket at the centre. This is designed to amplify the chain reaction and spark fusion releasing much greater quantity of energy.OK, you asked for briefly.atomic bomb at one end of hydrogen bomb casing detonates.x-rays from atomic bomb implode hydrogen bomb, heating & raising pressure in it.when at high enough temperature & pressure, hydrogen bomb explodes.An atomic bomb is just the atomic bomb mentioned at the beginning of step 1.A full description of all the events in a typical fission-fusion-fission hydrogen bomb consists of almost 2 dozen steps. A full description of the events in a typical fission atomic bomb is less than 6 steps.
What is stronger atom bomb or nuke?
An atomic bomb is a nuclear weapon. A nuclear fusion bomb, (hydrogen, is usually much stronger than a nuclear fission bomb (uranium or plutonium). The weapons detonated in Japan during WWII measured about 15 kilotons equivalent of TNT. Today, most nuclear weapons are measured by megaton (1000X kiloton) equivalents up to a bomb built by the Russians with a possible yield of 100 megatons.
How much plutonium would be needed to build a standard hydrogen bomb?
The first plutonium fission bomb used 6.2 kilograms of plutonium.The first stage of a hydrogen bomb is a fission bomb. By using better explosives to compress the plutonium and tritium gas boosting it is probably possible to use 2 kilograms to 3 kilograms of plutonium here.Each fusion stage uses a plutonium "sparkplug" rod that runs the length of that stage to initiate fusion. The exact dimensions (and thus the weight) of plutonium used here is classified Top Secret Restricted Data. It is possible that these "sparkplugs" may even be hollow tubes (to allow neutrons a free path the entire length), which might eliminate more than 90% of the weight of a solid rod while improving its performance.As a "ballpark guess" without reliable data to base it on, each stage of a modern hydrogen bomb (both the fission first stage and all fusion stages) probably uses less than 3 kilograms of plutonium.A standard two stage hydrogen bomb would then use less than 6 kilograms of plutonium and a three stage hydrogen bomb (the largest size ever built) would then use less than 9 kilograms of plutonium.
How much plutonium was USED in little boy?
The Little Boy bomb had not plutonium.
How much TNT is in a Plutonium Bomb?
Nuclear weapons with plutonium don't contain TNT.
How much plutonium is in the second atomic bomb?
Nagasaki (Japan) - 9 August 1945 - a bomb containing 6,4 kg of Plutonium 239
How much plutonium used in nuclear bomb?
In the Nagasaki bomb, about 14 pounds. Design criteria on later weapons is classified.
How much plutonium is in an average atomic bomb?
ugh there was 10000kgs in fatman aka 100 sticks
How much hydrogen is in a hydrogen bomb?
there is no Hydrogen in a hydrogen bomb.its called a hydrogen bomb because there are isotopes of hydrogen: tritium (3H ), and deuterium (2H,)
What kills more h-bomb or a-bomb?
different letters in the alphabetAn "A-bomb" is usually a fission bomb (plutonium or Uranium fissions = splits into lighter elements)An "H-bomb" is a fusion bomb wherein Hydrogen (or some isotope of it) "fuses" into heavier elements. Often an H-bomb needs the energy of an A-bomb to start its nuclear reaction but the output is SO much greater that the A-bombs energy output is dwarfed by the enormous fusion explosion.
Briefly explain how a hydrogen bomb works and how its differs from an atom bomb?
A Hydrogen bomb uses heavy Hydrogen or Deuterium to create a fusion chain reaction. Before that can happen however there needs to be a smaller fission explosion (atomic bomb). The radiation from this trigger explosion is directed into a hollow chamber like a bucket pointed at the atomic bomb, which contains Deuterium. Often there is a rod of Plutonium running the length of the bucket at the centre. This is designed to amplify the chain reaction and spark fusion releasing much greater quantity of energy.OK, you asked for briefly.atomic bomb at one end of hydrogen bomb casing detonates.x-rays from atomic bomb implode hydrogen bomb, heating & raising pressure in it.when at high enough temperature & pressure, hydrogen bomb explodes.An atomic bomb is just the atomic bomb mentioned at the beginning of step 1.A full description of all the events in a typical fission-fusion-fission hydrogen bomb consists of almost 2 dozen steps. A full description of the events in a typical fission atomic bomb is less than 6 steps.
How much plutonium would be required to make an atomic bomb as powerful as the one devastated in Nagasaki in World War 2?
Approx. 10 kg of plutonium 239.
Why is hydrogen bomb more powerful and destructive than the atom bomb?
The term atom bomb is somewhat ambiguous. The more precise distinction that you are trying to make is between a fission (or uranium or plutonium based) bomb and a fusion (or hydrogen based) bomb. The process of nuclear fission releases a certain amount of energy, and the process of nuclear fusion, per nucleus, releases a much larger amount of energy. Hence, you can build much bigger bombs based on fusion (although they still contain fission bombs which are required to create the high temperature needed for fusion).
What is stronger atom bomb or nuke?
An atomic bomb is a nuclear weapon. A nuclear fusion bomb, (hydrogen, is usually much stronger than a nuclear fission bomb (uranium or plutonium). The weapons detonated in Japan during WWII measured about 15 kilotons equivalent of TNT. Today, most nuclear weapons are measured by megaton (1000X kiloton) equivalents up to a bomb built by the Russians with a possible yield of 100 megatons.
