Have Nuclear bombs been.......?

Question

Have Nuclear Bombs been replaced by Hydrogen bombs?

Answer 1

Hydrogen bombs ARE nuclear bombs; they are a particular type of nuclear bomb and are powered by a fusion reaction. By "nuclear bombs", I assume you meant fission (usually uranium-based) bombs, which are another type of nuclear bomb.

Basically, fission bombs consist of unstable elements which constantly break down into lighter elements. This breakdown releases heat and subatomic particles [radiation]. Being subjected to radiation also causes the breakdown rate to increase, so in large enough quantities, a chain reaction occurrs where millions of atoms split nearly instantaneously due to the high radiation from the neighbouring atoms disintegrating. Large quantities of heat and radiation are released, causing a massive explosion and residual radiation which lasts for years.

If you meant to ask whether or not fusion bombs have replaced the less-powerful fission bombs, then the answer is a more complicated "yes-and-no"... yes, the fusion reaction is much more intense and releases much more energy than the fission reaction does. Fusion describes the process whereby two atoms of a light element (hydrogen atoms, in this case) are bonded together to create a heavier element (helium, in the case of the hydrogen bomb). However, these atoms do not spontaneously fuse - catalyzing the reaction requires an immense amount of energy. Obviously the energy subsequently released is enormous - more than enough to fuel the fusion of more atoms - but to initially get the reaction started, a huge amount of energy is required. The best way to do this, in the case of a hydrogen bomb, is a small fission bomb which generates the required energy for the fusion to begin. Since a fission bomb is used to trigger the fusion bomb, it is still necessary to have engineers and scientists who study and build fission bombs, so it would be inaccurate to say that the fusion bomb has "replaced" the fission bomb.

Answer 2

There is a difference. It's wether or not the process is Fusion or Fission, and H-bombs are much more powerful than atom bombs (the kind the U.S. used during the Second World War).

Here's a link to a Wikipedia site that explains the difference between the two among other things about nuclear weapons.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_bomb#Types_of_nuclear_weapons

Answer 3

Hydrogen Bombs are just a type of Nuclear Bomb, a type which is bigger and more powerful than Atomic-Bombs which are also a type of Nuclear Bomb, as both involve Nuclear Fission or Fusion depending.

Answer 4

You're talking about the same thing! Hydrogen bombs are named as such because they take hydrogen atoms and fuse them together in a nuclear process called fusion. A hydrogen bomb, therefore, is a type of nuclear bomb.

Answer 5

Most nuclear weapons today are hydrogen bombs, as the yield the biggest "bang-for-the buck".

Fusion bombs use a standard nuclear detonation to generate the heat required for hydrogen fusion to take place. The fission generates a sizeable explosion, but it pales in comparison to the fusion reactions.

~X~

Answer 6

Nuclear bombs is a broad category that include atomic & hydrogen bombs
very much like all men are humans but not all humans are men.

Answer 7

NO. Completely different things. Atom bombs , hydrogen bombs and nuclear bombs are not at all the same.

And nuclear bombs still are the more powerful by far.

Answer 8

I dont think so.
But who wants to drop a nuke???
Hydrogen bombs do more controlled damage, besides, they need a nuclear reaction to detonate them so I kind of think of them as in the same ballpark.

Answer 9

You have not asked an intelligent question, and this is not the place to get an in depth answer.

To make it as simple as possible for you, google neutron bomb, tactical nuclear weapons, and strategic nuclear weapons et al.

Come back to us with your research.

Answer 10

Russia detonated their Tsar Bomb back in the cold war, made Hiroshima look like a fire-cracker