A fission bomb splits atoms apart using neutrons, whilst a fusion bomb instead fuses the atoms together, and is about ten times more powerful than a fission bomb.
Detonation of a fusion hydrogen bomb is initiated by the primary fission bomb, which generates high temperatures and pressures needed to trigger fusion reactions in the hydrogen isotopes. The fission bomb compresses and heats the fusion fuel to the point where nuclear fusion reactions can occur, releasing vastly more energy than the fission reaction alone.
Yes.TacticalStrategicFission - uranium, plutonium, compositeFusionSolid coreLevitated coreBoosted coreConventional fusion - 90% fission from U-238 fusion tamperClean fusion - ~5% fission mostly from primary & sparkplugDirty fusion - bomb is salted with elements intended to intensify falloutNeutron bomb - a small Clean fusion bomb intended to intensify neutron radiationetc., etc., etc.
A atomic bomb is an example of fission, as it relies on the splitting (or fission) of heavy atomic nuclei to release a massive amount of energy. Fusion, on the other hand, involves the merging of lighter atomic nuclei, while annihilation is the complete conversion of matter into energy in particle-antiparticle collisions.
That depends on the design. Traditionally fusion bombs have been more powerful than fission bombs, mostly because fusion yield has no limit (just add more stages) and fission is limited to around 1 megaton yield. However it is definitely possible to build small very low yield fusion bombs with yields far below traditional fission bomb yields, especially if your goal is to make "clean" low fallout tactical weapons (or potentially peaceful nuclear construction explosives - as was the goal of project Plowshare).
Nuclear bomb can mean either fission or fusion bomb. Hydrogen bomb means fusion bomb. The fusion bomb can be built with any yield one wants, just by adding more stages with more fuel. The fission bomb has a theoretical maximum yield that cannot be exceeded.
Fission.
Fission.
If you are asking which has the maximum danger, a hydrogen bomb is one type of nuclear bomb. In general, nuclear bombs can be fission (called atomic) or fusion (hydrogen) A fusion bomb is larger than an fission bomb, and actually uses a fission bomb to start the fusion reaction.
Detonation of a fusion hydrogen bomb is initiated by the primary fission bomb, which generates high temperatures and pressures needed to trigger fusion reactions in the hydrogen isotopes. The fission bomb compresses and heats the fusion fuel to the point where nuclear fusion reactions can occur, releasing vastly more energy than the fission reaction alone.
fission and/or fusion
first fission bomb 1945first fusion bomb 1954
TrinityHiroshimaNagasakiCrossroads Baker (first underwater)Ivy Mike (first fusion bomb, 90% fission yield)Ivy King (highest yield fission bomb)Castle Bravo (first dry fuel fusion bomb, 90% fission yield)Castle Romeo (test of first deliverable fusion bomb, MK-17)Redwing Zuni (test of first clean fusion bomb)Redwing Navaho (test of clean fusion bomb, only 5% fission yield)Tzar Bomba (highest yield fusion bomb, USSR)etc.
People were/are worried about fusion bombs for the same reasons they were/are worried about fission bombs, except more so because the yield of a fusion bomb is typically much higher than the yield of a fission bomb. So a fusion bomb typically does more of everything a fission bomb does.
Fission and/or fusion.
fission vs fusion
Yes.TacticalStrategicFission - uranium, plutonium, compositeFusionSolid coreLevitated coreBoosted coreConventional fusion - 90% fission from U-238 fusion tamperClean fusion - ~5% fission mostly from primary & sparkplugDirty fusion - bomb is salted with elements intended to intensify falloutNeutron bomb - a small Clean fusion bomb intended to intensify neutron radiationetc., etc., etc.
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.