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Nuclear Weapons
This category is for questions about weapons that use nuclear fission or fusion to gain explosive power.
3,869 Questions
How do you dispose of a nuclear weapon?
The US currently disposes of its nuclear weapons at the Pantex plant just outside Amarillo, TX, the same plant that assembles new ones and refurbishes/retrofits old ones. The process is roughly the reverse of assembly, with the conventional explosives being burned and the plutonium, uranium, and miscellaneous radioactive materials put in storage.
How did Russia know how to build an H-bomb in 1953 when the US was inventing it in 1952?
It had been in reasearch since the 1930's and the arms race began well before the 1950's. Neither the US or Russia wanted the other to have the weapon first so both were working on it.
The Soviet 1953 "hydrogen bomb" was not a staged hydrogen bomb like the US 1952 & 1954 hydrogen bombs. It was just a Lithium Deuteride boosted fission bomb. Its only advantage was it was a deliverable megaton range yield boosted fission bomb one year before the US got deliverable multimegaton range yield teller-ulam staged fusion bombs.
The Soviets only declared it a "type of hydrogen bomb" because some of the yield was from fusion, most was still from Plutonium fission. The design was sometimes referred to as the Layer Cake as it used a more or less conventional Plutonium implosion mechanism, but the Plutonium core was alternately layered with concentric shells of Lithium Deuteride instead of being just Plutonium.
The US had considered such a design in ~ 1950, but never pursued it as it was considered a dead end. Computing resources were better spent on better designs.
How fast does a Nuclear Warhead of Russia travel?
A nuclear warhead launched from Russia can travel at speeds of up to 15,000 miles per hour or more, depending on the specific type of ballistic missile used. These missiles are designed to travel at hypersonic speeds to reach their target quickly and with minimal chance of interception.
Is it true or false atomic bombs work by atomic fisson?
yes, both true & false.
They can work either by fission or some combination of fission & fusion. Most modern nuclear bombs use both fission & fusion to optimize for mission, size, weight, cost, etc. Total yield can vary from 100% fission to more than 95% fusion.
What is nuclear fission and its relationship to nuclear bomb?
Simply put, nuclear fission is the splitting of an atomic nucleus. It relates to radioactivity in that some isotopes of some elements (and not very many) naturally decay by spontaneous fission. There is a separate question about what spontaneous fission is, and it is linked below.
The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is enforced through a system of safeguards and verification measures carried out by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The IAEA inspects nuclear facilities in member states to ensure they are being used for peaceful purposes and not for the development of nuclear weapons. Violations of the NPT can lead to diplomatic and economic consequences imposed by the international community.
What do nuclear weapons contain?
Nuclear weapons typically contain fissile material, such as uranium or plutonium, that undergoes a rapid chain reaction to produce a powerful explosion. They also include traditional explosives to compress the fissile material and trigger the chain reaction. The explosion releases a massive amount of energy in the form of heat, blast, and radiation.
What does a 'reflector' do in the core of a fission atomic bomb?
The reflector in a nuclear weapon core is made of a material which can reflect neutrons from fission in the core back into the core, instead of wasting them. A tamper can permit a smaller mass of nuclear fuel (an unreflected subcritical mass of nuclear material can quickly become critical if a reflector is used). Depending on the material, they can also have a neutron-moderation effect. The tamper in many nuclear weapons is also the reflector.
What does the atomic bomb and nuclear power plant have in common?
Both the atomic bomb and nuclear power plant rely on nuclear fission to produce energy. The atomic bomb is designed to release a massive amount of energy in a short time, causing destruction, while a nuclear power plant harnesses controlled nuclear reactions to generate electricity for communities.
An imploding bomb is a type of explosive device that is designed to collapse inward on itself during detonation, creating a powerful implosion effect. This can result in increased destructive force and range compared to traditional explosive devices that rely on outward force for damage. These types of bombs are typically used in military or demolition applications.
How does nuclear weapons deter?
Nuclear weapons do not deter terrorists and indeed the use of nuclear weapons appeals to terrorists.
During the Cold War large superpowers acheived a stalemate since neither side wanted to start a nuclear conflict which could result in Mutual Assured destruction however terrorists have no such concerns.
Where are nuclear weapons tested?
nuclear weapons can be tested in places such as deserts and the ocean because theres no human life their so it cannot kill no one. before the tsunami in japan there was a nuclear weapon tested in the sea and scientist think that the explosion of the bomb was so powerful that it moved the tectonics plates. also scientist found strange fishes in japan after the tsunami and this also gives evidence that the radiation effected the fishes and cfreatures in the sea.
What would happen if a nuclear missile detonated on the ring of fire?
If a nuclear missile detonated on the Ring of Fire, it could potentially trigger seismic activity, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions due to the region's already active tectonic plates. The consequences could be catastrophic for the surrounding countries and have far-reaching environmental impacts.
Would the radiation of a Nuclear Bomb effect a person underwater?
Yes, the radiation from a nuclear bomb can penetrate water and affect a person submerged underwater. However, the distance and depth the person is from the detonation point can affect the level of radiation exposure.
What is the difference between normal bomb and atomic bomb?
ones normal the others atomic
Answer:Ordinary bombs are made of chemical explosives. An explosive is anything that, once ignited, burns extremely fast producing a large amount of hot gas in the process. The hot gas expands very quickly causing a sudden increase in pressure called an explosion. To explode rather than just burn they sometimes need to be in a container so the pressure can become high before exploding. Explosives that you commonly hear about are nitroglycerin, dynamite and TNT, but anything from gasoline to ammonium nitrate fertilizer to special plastic explosives are in the class of normal or chemical explosives.Atomic bombs don't burn anything. There are forces inside an atom. Atomic bombs work by releasing these forces. It's called spitting the atom.
Is lithium-220 used in a dirty bomb?
Lithium-220 does not exist.
Lithium is a very light element, It only occurs naturally as Lithium-6 and Lithium-7, which are both stable. All other isotopes have halflives shorter than one second, and thus would decay too fast to be usable in anything.
What has more power an atomic bomb or a nuclear missile?
The question you are asking is equivalent in many ways to asking "Which number is bigger 27 or 27?" as an atomic explosive and a nuclear explosive are generally considered the same. The only difference is a bomb is typically an explosive delivered by a manned airplane whereas the explosive warhead on a missile is delivered by either a rocket or an unmanned airplane called a cruise missile.
Either one could be a higher yield explosive, or as I stated in the example at the beginning of this answer both could be identical.
Is a nuclear generator 100 percent efficient?
No, nuclear generators are not 100 percent efficient. They typically have an efficiency rate of around 30-40%, which means that 30-40% of the energy from the nuclear reactions is converted into electricity, while the rest is lost as heat.
Whatever someone is willing to pay for it.
A regular old baseball is worth a few dollars. One signed by Babe Ruth may fetch a few more dollars. Its ACTUAL worth is about the same as the plain baseball, but some people will pay a lot of money for one that is signed. How much they're willing to pay doesn't reflect its actual value.
There are terrorist who would pay several million dollars for even a small yield weapon.
How strong are the Russian nuclear weapons compared to that of US?
Both Russia and the United States possess strong nuclear arsenals with similar destructive capabilities. The exact strength of each country's nuclear weapons is classified, but they both have the ability to cause immense damage and are considered two of the most powerful nuclear states in the world.
What precautions do workers in a nuclear power plant have to take?
Radiation suits are completely fake. Radioactive materials need to be encased in shielding to make sure people are protected from them while being handled. There are often Graded-Z barriers, which are made up of several different compounds that block different radioactive particles generated by a reactor. In addition, workers wear radiation/particle detectors that monitor their radiation exposure.
Can a nuke trigger another nuke?
If 2 nuclear weapons were targeted close together in all probability the first one to detonate would probably kill the other, preventing its proper detonation. This is called nuclear fratricide, it is caused by the burst of neutrons from a nuclear detonation. These neutrons trigger a predetonation fizzle yield in nearby bombs. To prevent this if adjacent targets are too close, the bursts are separated in time instead typically using a marching targeting pattern that proceeds across the area of targets with individual bursts widely separated in time and space.
Is the nuke bomb the biggest bomb?
No, a nuclear bomb is not the biggest bomb. The largest conventional bomb in terms of explosive yield is the MOAB (Massive Ordnance Air Blast), also known as the "Mother of All Bombs." It is a non-nuclear bomb developed by the United States.
How has the atom bomb been improved?
A number of improvements have been made in nuclear weapons. They involve the more precise construction (the shape or geometry of the bomb) and the more efficient method of triggering the device. These changes have allowed us to make nuclear weapons that will fit easily in an overnight bag and have permitted us to package numbers of them in a single missile for delivery on multiple targets. All with a minimized probability of a dud, and a maximized (or even a variable) yield.
What makes a nuclear explosion so deadly?
A nuclear explosion is deadly due to the intense heat and blast wave it generates, causing widespread destruction and casualties. Additionally, the release of harmful radiation can cause long-term health effects such as radiation sickness, cancer, and genetic mutations. The combination of these factors makes nuclear explosions exceptionally destructive and deadly.
