The nucleus of an atom consists of protons, positively charged, and also neutrons with no charge. The process of fission put to work means, that some radioactive elements can split if they collide with neutrons. What comes out of this reaction is two nuclei, more free moving neutrons and heat together with light. When these radioactive elements split, the neutrons that they released collide with other atoms and a chain reaction is activated. All of this happening at a rate of a few microseconds. The difference between nuclear reactors and nuclear weapons is that although a similar reaction occurs, the one in the nuclear reactor is being regulated.
The majority of nuclear weapons that we could see today are two stage thermonuclear weapons that get their energy from the power of both nuclear fission and fusion. Primary fission reaction creates the high temperature needed to start off the secondary fusion reaction, this being the more powerful one. Since the heat is being used as the trigger, that is where the term thermonuclear comes from. Some countries nonetheless are believed to only own fission weapons. In this post I will try to explain how both types of nuclear weapons work.
The majority of nuclear weapons that we could see today are two stage thermonuclear weapons that get their energy from the power of both nuclear fission and fusion. Primary fission reaction creates the high temperature needed to start off the secondary fusion reaction, this being the more powerful one. Since the heat is being used as the trigger, that is where the term thermonuclear comes from. Some countries nonetheless are believed to only own fission weapons. In this post I will try to explain how both types of nuclear weapons work.
Fission weapons
In human history, nuclear weapons have been used twice. Both were used by the United States against Japan in an attempt to end World War II. The first atomic bomb that has ever been used in warfare used Uranium and was dropped on the city of Hiroshima on August 6th, 1945. The next atomic bomb that exploded, also a fission bomb, was dropped on another Japanese city, Nagasaki, on August 9th 1945. Both of these nuclear weapons are referred to as fission bombs or simply atomic weapons. Isotopes of Uranium - 235, which is found in nature is the fuel that powers a fission bomb, exchangeable with Plutonium - 239.
A small amount of either of these elements, let's say 0.5 kg, can not activate a chain reaction because the neutrons aren't that likely to collide, therefore it's called being a subcritical mass. When more Uranium - 235 is added, the chances for the neutrons to collide becomes higher. At the point when one neutron bumps into another and creates fission, therefore launching a chain reaction, critical mass is achieved and an atomic explosion follows. Put to work, the fuels must be brought from one state to the other extremely suddenly and fast.
There are more than one way how to make this happen. One option how this could be done is to bring two subcritical masses together and combining their mass, resulting in it becoming a critical one. A way by which this can be achieved is to place the two subcritical masses into a hollow tube, shooting them against each other using high explosives. Other option is that the fuel is suddenly compressed into a smaller size, getting the atoms closer together and amplifying the chance that a neutron will be emitted, striking directly at another atom and launching the chain reaction. The body of such weapon where compression is used, this type also being called implosion-type atomic bomb, consists of a ball like space in which the fuel is located, surrounded by many shells. On the outside of these shells a layer of high explosives is found. When these explosives are detonated all at the same time, the fissionable material is exposed to enormous pressure which presses it into a denser mass, immediately achieving the critical state.
A component of a fission bomb that can not be forgotten about is tamper, this being a jacket of beryllium oxide. This substance acts as a mirror for the fissioned neutrons and reflects them back into the fissionable material to cause more fissions. There are also other materials that can be used to boost the nuclear fission.
In human history, nuclear weapons have been used twice. Both were used by the United States against Japan in an attempt to end World War II. The first atomic bomb that has ever been used in warfare used Uranium and was dropped on the city of Hiroshima on August 6th, 1945. The next atomic bomb that exploded, also a fission bomb, was dropped on another Japanese city, Nagasaki, on August 9th 1945. Both of these nuclear weapons are referred to as fission bombs or simply atomic weapons. Isotopes of Uranium - 235, which is found in nature is the fuel that powers a fission bomb, exchangeable with Plutonium - 239.
A small amount of either of these elements, let's say 0.5 kg, can not activate a chain reaction because the neutrons aren't that likely to collide, therefore it's called being a subcritical mass. When more Uranium - 235 is added, the chances for the neutrons to collide becomes higher. At the point when one neutron bumps into another and creates fission, therefore launching a chain reaction, critical mass is achieved and an atomic explosion follows. Put to work, the fuels must be brought from one state to the other extremely suddenly and fast.
There are more than one way how to make this happen. One option how this could be done is to bring two subcritical masses together and combining their mass, resulting in it becoming a critical one. A way by which this can be achieved is to place the two subcritical masses into a hollow tube, shooting them against each other using high explosives. Other option is that the fuel is suddenly compressed into a smaller size, getting the atoms closer together and amplifying the chance that a neutron will be emitted, striking directly at another atom and launching the chain reaction. The body of such weapon where compression is used, this type also being called implosion-type atomic bomb, consists of a ball like space in which the fuel is located, surrounded by many shells. On the outside of these shells a layer of high explosives is found. When these explosives are detonated all at the same time, the fissionable material is exposed to enormous pressure which presses it into a denser mass, immediately achieving the critical state.
A component of a fission bomb that can not be forgotten about is tamper, this being a jacket of beryllium oxide. This substance acts as a mirror for the fissioned neutrons and reflects them back into the fissionable material to cause more fissions. There are also other materials that can be used to boost the nuclear fission.
Thermonuclear weapons
Thermonuclear weapons or often weapons referred to as Hydrogen bombs or H-bombs are weapons that achieve their destructiveness by the process of nuclear fusion. In this reaction, light Hydrogen atoms fuse in a chain reaction and create heavier Helium atoms. The key information here being that in fusion, opposed to fission, two lighter nuclei create a heavier nucleus. Nuclei of Hydrogen isotopes deuterium and tritium are being fused.
The first thermonuclear weapon was launched by the United States in 1952, followed by Russia in 1953. During that era, multiple other nuclear bombings were carried out by states such as the Great Britain, France and China. A specific example of a Hydrogen bomb test is the Starfish Prime, a nuclear test conducted by the United States. A rocket was launched to space, carrying a nuclear warhead, and the explosion took place 400km above Earth. It was one of the five tests that the United States conducted in space.
As I have said previously, thermonuclear weapons are the modernised version of atomic bombs and are the ones that most countries with atomic arsenal claim to posses.
Let's look at the term thermo-nuclear. As most of us know, an atomic nuclei carries a positive charge and that also implies on a Hydrogen nuclei. To get the two positive charges close together, a temperature of millions of degrees needs to be achieved to give them enough kinetic energy (speed), so that they can overcome their magnetic field and approach close enough to combine. This short explanation should be enough to make clear that heat (thermo), is needed to get the two nuclei (nuclear) together. Hydrogen being the smallest and lightest atom is an ideal candidate for this role since its charge is also very miniscule.
The two Hydrogen isotopes (deuterium and tritium) combine to form a heavier Helium atom, and in order to do that they need to lose a portion of their mass (0.63%). They are only able to lose this mass by converting it into energy. This is where the exothermic reaction occurs, the explosion, the BANG that powers a Hydrogen bomb.
At this point, you might be wondering about the nuclear fission that I promised in a Hydrogen bomb along with the fusion explained above. To achieve the temperature of millions degrees that is needed to make the Hydrogen atoms combine, the primary explosion inside the body of the bomb takes part.
The structure of a thermonuclear weapon is following: at its center an atomic bomb lies. It is surrounded by a layer of lithium deuteride, a compound of lithium and the Hydrogen isotope deuterium. Around this is a tamper that is meant to hold all the components together in order to create a larger explosion. After the primary atomic bomb is launched, the neutrons split lithium into tritium (the other important isotope of Hydrogen) and energy. This explosion also creates the temperature needed for the fusion to take place. The secondary reaction on the fusion causes the container to fall apart releasing energy and also fallout (deposition of radioactive material) in the process. The entire series of explosions in a thermonuclear bomb takes a fraction of a second to occur.
Thermonuclear weapons or often weapons referred to as Hydrogen bombs or H-bombs are weapons that achieve their destructiveness by the process of nuclear fusion. In this reaction, light Hydrogen atoms fuse in a chain reaction and create heavier Helium atoms. The key information here being that in fusion, opposed to fission, two lighter nuclei create a heavier nucleus. Nuclei of Hydrogen isotopes deuterium and tritium are being fused.
The first thermonuclear weapon was launched by the United States in 1952, followed by Russia in 1953. During that era, multiple other nuclear bombings were carried out by states such as the Great Britain, France and China. A specific example of a Hydrogen bomb test is the Starfish Prime, a nuclear test conducted by the United States. A rocket was launched to space, carrying a nuclear warhead, and the explosion took place 400km above Earth. It was one of the five tests that the United States conducted in space.
As I have said previously, thermonuclear weapons are the modernised version of atomic bombs and are the ones that most countries with atomic arsenal claim to posses.
Let's look at the term thermo-nuclear. As most of us know, an atomic nuclei carries a positive charge and that also implies on a Hydrogen nuclei. To get the two positive charges close together, a temperature of millions of degrees needs to be achieved to give them enough kinetic energy (speed), so that they can overcome their magnetic field and approach close enough to combine. This short explanation should be enough to make clear that heat (thermo), is needed to get the two nuclei (nuclear) together. Hydrogen being the smallest and lightest atom is an ideal candidate for this role since its charge is also very miniscule.
The two Hydrogen isotopes (deuterium and tritium) combine to form a heavier Helium atom, and in order to do that they need to lose a portion of their mass (0.63%). They are only able to lose this mass by converting it into energy. This is where the exothermic reaction occurs, the explosion, the BANG that powers a Hydrogen bomb.
At this point, you might be wondering about the nuclear fission that I promised in a Hydrogen bomb along with the fusion explained above. To achieve the temperature of millions degrees that is needed to make the Hydrogen atoms combine, the primary explosion inside the body of the bomb takes part.
The structure of a thermonuclear weapon is following: at its center an atomic bomb lies. It is surrounded by a layer of lithium deuteride, a compound of lithium and the Hydrogen isotope deuterium. Around this is a tamper that is meant to hold all the components together in order to create a larger explosion. After the primary atomic bomb is launched, the neutrons split lithium into tritium (the other important isotope of Hydrogen) and energy. This explosion also creates the temperature needed for the fusion to take place. The secondary reaction on the fusion causes the container to fall apart releasing energy and also fallout (deposition of radioactive material) in the process. The entire series of explosions in a thermonuclear bomb takes a fraction of a second to occur.