What is the difference between a hydrogen bomb and an atomic bomb?
Answer:
A Hydrogen bomb is brought about by the FUSION (Joining) of Heavy hydrogen atoms (Deuterium) to form Helium.
An atomic bomb is the FISSION of Uranium 235 resulting in the production of Plutonium.
(The Hydrogen bomb is far more powerful).
A hydrogen bomb is an atomic bomb that fissions (splits) a hydrogen atom.
The atom bomb originally used a chemical explosion to trigger the nuclear. The hydrogen bomb used a chemical explosion to trigger a nuclear explosion that triggered the main nuclear explosion.
Nuclear explosions propogate many many times faster than chemical. I heard the difference explained like this: If you want to drive a nail into a 2x4, you don't set the hammer on the head of the nail and push, do you?
A hydrogen bomb functions on a fusion reaction (two atoms merging together to produce helium). An atomic bomb doesn't really refer to the type of reaction occuring. A fission reaction occurs when an atom is split.
A fusion reaction requires a great deal of heat to produce, so a fission reaction usually triggers the fusion reaction. A hydrogen bomb, therefore, still requires refined plutonium to produce.
Basically...
A hydrogen bomb is a fusion bomb..it fuses the atoms together and releases energy as a result.
An atomic bomb is a fission bomb..it splits the atoms apart and releases energy as a result.
An atomic bomb uses explosives to create a critical mass out of uranium or plutonium. To fuse hydrogen requires great heat and pressure, which an atomic bomb can create. In a hydrogen bomb, deuterium and lithium are fused to create helium, releasing large quantities of energy.
The answers post by the user, for information only, FunQA.com does not guarantee the right.
More Questions and Answers: