A nuclear explosion is caused by the uncontrolled mass fission of a quantity of fissionable material, and the explosion is the sudden release of energy produce almost instantaneously due to the rapidity of a chain reaction in weapons grade uranium (this is an example, being the most common fissionable material used in nuclear explosives), which must be at least 95% U-235 (the same quality is required for naval nuclear reactors on board ships and submarines, which are used for supply power to be used to propel the ship).
Nuclear explosions can also occur when a nuclear reactor is not properly maintained, or there is a meltdown (the structural failure of some critical component of the reactor leading to a breach of containment, and usually fires and complete structural failure).
The only differences between a nuclear reactor and a nuclear bomb are the level of enrichment of the fissionable material (which there is no difference in if you are talking about a high-grade naval reactor), and the control rods and other safety features which are used to keep the reactor under control.
The other type of nuclear detonation is the fusion device. This resembles fission, except energy is released upon the fusing of heavy water hydrogen molecules. The hydrogen (or h-bomb) uses nuclear fission as stated about to start the reaction. Most if not all fusion bomb are measured in the megaton (millions of tons) range. Currently only the United States and Russia have fusion bombs.
To sustain a fission chain reaction, each fission reaction must result in one more fission reaction. And that one should result in one more, and so on.
A conventional explosion is detonated on contact or impact. The conventional explosion has a fission ignite. This means it explodes upon impact and needs a primary explosive to ignite.
In actuality, a spontaneous fission event begins a nuclear chain reaction. It kick starts a nuclear chain reaction. And a neutron from that fission will initiate another fission to continue and rev up that nuclear chain reaction.
Neutrons released during a fission reaction trigger other fission reactions.
In a nuclear fission reaction, a freely moving neutron undergoes neutron capture and initiates the nuclear fission of a fuel atom.
A nuclear explosion is caused by the rapid release of energy from a nuclear chain reaction. This can occur in a nuclear weapon when a critical mass of fissile material is rapidly brought together, leading to a highly destructive explosion. In a nuclear reactor, such an explosion is prevented through control mechanisms that regulate the nuclear reaction.
The high temperatures produced by the explosion of a fission bomb are necessary for initiating the fusion reaction in a thermonuclear device because fusion reactions require extremely high temperatures and pressures to overcome the repulsive forces between positively charged nuclei. The fission explosion provides the energy needed to achieve these conditions, thereby allowing the fusion reaction to take place.
Share A chemical reaction that causes the next one
Sudden release (in a few microseconds) of nuclear energy via fission, fusion, or a combination of both.
Nuclear power plants use fission reactions to generate electricity by splitting uranium atoms. Nuclear weapons also use fission reactions to release a large amount of energy in the form of an explosion.
To sustain a fission chain reaction, each fission reaction must result in one more fission reaction. And that one should result in one more, and so on.
A moderator in a fission chain reaction is a system (usually water) that slows neutrons down (decreases their energy) to the point where they can interact with fissile material, causing the fission reaction to be self sustaining. This is necessary because, without the moderator, the neutrons emitted from fission have too much energy to cause subsequent fission. The design of the moderator is such that it provides automatic control of the reaction. As it heats up, the moderation effect decreases, causing the reaction to decrease. Conversely, as it cools down, the moderation effect increases, causing the reaction to increase. In the event that the moderator fails, such as when a depressurization event causes the water to flash to steam, the loss of moderation causes the fission reaction to stop.
A conventional explosion is detonated on contact or impact. The conventional explosion has a fission ignite. This means it explodes upon impact and needs a primary explosive to ignite.
A stable nuclear fission reaction will be sustained if every fission produces one additional fission reaction.
Uranium fission creates a chain reaction that initiates a chain reaction that grows exponentially into a massive conversion of the potential energy inside the uranium atom into kinetic energy in the form of an explosion - a nuclear explosion. These are the bombs that ended WW2. Today we can split H atoms, which release significantly more energy.
A nuclear explosion is the uncontrolled reaction (either fusion of fission) of nuclei and nuclei (fusion) or nuclei and neutrons (fission). Both processes produce vast amoutns of energy, as well as more nuclei or neutrons (for fusion or fission, respectively) to continue the chain reaction. This energy, if not moderated (such as in the case of a nuclear reactor, in which this reaction is harnased to produce electricity), explodes with a force many many times that of an equal quantity of dynamite (on the order of tens or even hundreds of thousands of times more force) or other conventional explosives.
The first time a fission chain reaction was produced was in 1942