It is a one of two main types of nuclear weapons. Commonly called the H-bomb, the hydrogen bomb, or the thermonuclear bomb, the fusion bomb relies on the fusion of light isotopes (usually of hydrogen and sometimes helium) to create a large amount of its energy. This is different from fission bombs, that release energy by inducing a neutron chain reaction to split large atoms in metals like Uranium 235 and Plutonium 329. The fusion bomb was invented in the decade after the first nuclear weapons were designed in the early 1940's.
The fusion bombs in use today all rely on a fission bomb first stage (called a "primary") to compress and heat a second fusion stage (called a "secondary"). The second stage has a thick shell of dense metal (which can be a fissionable metal, but need not be) on the outside and is filled with fusion fuel (hydrogen isotopes, or more usually a lithium-hydrogen compound [LiD]). It is usually round. In the center of the fusion fuel is another piece of fissile metal (usually Plutonium 239) called a "spark plug." These two stages are placed inside a case of dense metal, usually shaped like a peanut, with one stage at each end.
When the fission primary goes off, x-ray radiation floods down around the fusion secondary instantly heating its metal shell and causing it to implode inwards as it outer layers explode away. This is called "radiation implosion." As the shell of the secondary implodes, it compresses both the fusion fuel and the "spark plug." The "spark plug" quickly is crushed to such a density that it is supercritical and it fissions and explodes against the fusion fuel which is still being crushed inward by the radiation implosion. The effect is that the fission primary is pushing inward on the secondary while the spark plug (basically another fission bomb) explodes outward--the fusion fuel is caught between. That fuel is heated and compressed (and any lithium transmuted) to such a degree that fusion can finally occur. The lite isotopes fuse and some mass it converted in to huge amounts of energy. A large number of fast neutrons are also produced. If the metal shell of the secondary is made of uranium of thorium of a similar fissionable metal, these neutrons will fission the metal producing even more energy. (This can almost double the yield in designs that use such metals as well as increasing fallout dramatically. It also means that, while such weapons are still called fussion bombs, almost half their yield is actually from fission.)
It is possible to add additional fusion stages. In such a case the secondary would be used to implode a third stage, which could then be used to implode a fourth stage, etc. Any number of additional ever-larger stages is possible. Thus, theoretically, a fusion bomb of unlimited size can be build and three stage weapons as large as 25 MT have been built, and put into service. Such large yield weapons are no longer favored. While most strategic nuclear weapons existing today are fusion designs, most of them are no larger in yield than the largest fission bomb (500kt), since practical military needs actually favor smaller weapons over big ones.
All of the biggest nuclear bombs ever built have been fusion bombs. The largest bomb detonated was a fusion bomb that was equivalent to 50 million tons of TNT. The largest fission bomb tested was only one 100th as powerful, yielding 500 kilotons (half a million tons of TNT), which is still more than 20 times more powerful than the weapon dropped on Nagasaki.
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.
Nuclear bombs can use either nuclear fission or nuclear fusion as the primary mechanism of energy release. Most nuclear bombs in current arsenals rely on nuclear fission reactions, while thermonuclear bombs use a fission reaction to trigger a fusion reaction.
fusion reactions, where lighter elements combine to release tremendous amounts of energy. In stars, the fusion of hydrogen into helium powers their luminosity and heat. Hydrogen bombs use isotopes of hydrogen to trigger a controlled fusion reaction, releasing a massive amount of explosive energy.
Atomic bombs use nuclear fission, where heavy atomic nuclei split into smaller ones releasing energy and radiation. Hydrogen bombs use both nuclear fission and fusion, with fusion reactions involving the combining of light atomic nuclei to release even more energy and radiation. Hydrogen bombs are typically more powerful and produce higher levels of radiation compared to atomic bombs.
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).
Atomic bombs, A bombs, fission bombsHydrogen bombs, H bombs, fusion bombsBoosted fission bombs, "dial-a-yield" bombsMultistaged fusion bombsClean fusion bombs, reduced fallout fusion bombsSalted fusion bombs, dirty fusion bombs, increased fallout fusion bombsetc.
Both basically are the same, they can be fission or fusion bombs like Uranium,Plutonium and Hydrogen bombs. A general description would be that atomic bombs are fission bombs. Nuclear bombs are fusion bombs. Fusion bombs are more powerful weight for weight
The bombs used on Nagasaki and Hiroshima were both fission bombs, not fusion bombs.
Well, fusion bombs are, but fusion reactors should not be (if we can build them).
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.
Fusion. However in standard fusion bombs about 90% of the yield comes from fission of Uranium-238 in the fusion tamper and radiation channel guide from fast 15MeV fusion neutrons.
To some degree. Hydrogen bombs release energy via nuclear fusion, but they use a fission reaction to trigger the fusion.
fission and the fusion types
H-bombs
FissionFusionBoosted FissionMultistage Fusion
Good question. A fusion bomb combines (fuses) light nuclei (hydrogen) into larger nuclei to get its energy. But it needs a fission bomb to start it. A fission bomb breaks up (fissions) heavy nuclei (uranium/plutonium) into smaller nuclei to get its energy.
fission bombs, fusion bombs, in the late 1950s "clean fusion" bombs. aerial bombs, artillery shells, missile warheads, you name it they did it. (the DOD did want nuclear hand grenades and mortar shells, but the labs didn't quite get them that small.)