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A nuclear weapon is any explosive weapon that gets its destructive force from atomic nuclei. There are two ways to do this: nuclear fission and nuclear fusion. Fission is the easier to achieve, it takes large already unstable atoms and splits them into smaller atoms with a fast neutron chain reaction. Fusion is harder to achieve, it requires heating and compressing small atoms forcing them to join into larger atoms.

Few modern nuclear weapons are pure fission or fusion designs. Early ones were all pure fission, but now they optimize the design for size, cost, mission, etc. by using various mixtures of fission and fusion in different places in the weapon.

From your question I am not sure how much explanation you want, or if you are interested more in general operation, design, safety systems/testing, effects, or what specifically. An encyclopedia is a good source for many of these answers. However remember that many of the important details are classified Top Secret-Q Restricted Data.

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Can a nuclear reactor be used as a nuclear weapon?

No. LLNL even tested several Uranium-Hydride bombs in the 1950s. Even though their computer models said the devices should explode, none gave a nuclear yield. One could use the waste from the reactor as a Radiological Weapon, but the reactor itself is not useful as a weapon.


What is the biggest nuclear weapon?

The biggest nuclear weapon ever tested was the Tsar Bomba, a hydrogen bomb detonated by the Soviet Union in 1961. It had a yield of 50 megatons, making it the most powerful nuclear weapon ever detonated.


What weapon is stronger than a nuke?

A nuclear weapon is one of the most powerful weapons in existence, so it is difficult to say if there is a specific weapon that is definitively stronger. However, some may argue that certain future technologies, such as antimatter weapons or advanced cyber warfare capabilities, could potentially surpass the destructive power of a nuclear weapon.


How many rads does a nuclear weapon produce?

The amount of radiation produced by a nuclear weapon can vary depending on its size and yield. However, a single detonation of a nuclear weapon can produce tens of thousands to millions of rads within the immediate vicinity of ground zero. This level of radiation exposure can be lethal to humans and cause widespread health effects.


Could a nuclear weapon blow up a continent?

No, a single nuclear weapon is not powerful enough to blow up an entire continent. The destructive power of a nuclear weapon is concentrated in a relatively small area known as the blast radius. The impact would be devastating locally, but the effect would not extend to an entire continent.

Related Questions

What is the meaning of nuclear weapon?

The meaning of the word nuclear weapon, is a weapon that has a nuclear warhead on it.


What is a nuclear weapon in wich enormous energy is released by nuclear fission?

This nuclear weapon is called an atomic bomb or a nuclear bomb


Which one has the ability to destroy entire cities and impair electronic communications systems?

Nuclear weapon detonations


Is an bomb or a nuclear weapon more powerful?

If by "bomb" you mean a conventional explosive weapon, then the nuclear weapon is more powerful.


What do you mean by nuclear accidents and can you explain two basic types of nuclear weapons?

A nuclear accident is the unintended release of nuclear radiation into the environment, such as damage to a nuclear reactor or to a nuclear weapon (plane crash carrying nuclear bombs, etc). The two basic forms of nuclear weapons are fission and fusion weapons.


What is a nuclear weapon made of?

nuclear chemicals such as plutonium


Does the Philippines have a nuclear weapon?

NO


Does Philippines has a nuclear weapon?

no


Can a nuclear reactor be used as a nuclear weapon?

No. LLNL even tested several Uranium-Hydride bombs in the 1950s. Even though their computer models said the devices should explode, none gave a nuclear yield. One could use the waste from the reactor as a Radiological Weapon, but the reactor itself is not useful as a weapon.


What you know about nuclear weapon?

the first nuclear weapon was issued in WW2 created by the americans in a chicargo squash court


How do you make a atomic bomb on Doodle God?

plutonium + weapon


Is a nuclear bomb a weapon?

yes