what's the difference between an atomic and nuclear bomb?

Answer 1

None Really,

The Atomic bomb is generally referred to the ones in WWII, Fission Bombs, not the much more powerfull Fussion Bombs.

Nowadays Fussion and Fission weapons and Reactors alike are simply referred to as Nuclear.

They both deal with either splitting or fusing the NUCLEUS (Nuclear reference) of an ATOM (atomic reference)
Nuclear Reactors used to be called Atomic Reactors, but both dealt with power from fission. The porposed Nuclear Bunker Buster weapons, where actually very low yeild fission weapons. Todays ICBM's use Fussion warheads, yet all are still now referred to as Nuclear. It is really a preference.

Answer 2

The term nuclear bombs isn't used very frequently. extra straight forward is the term atomic bomb(s). oftentimes the term nuclear weapons is used fairly. There are 2 sorts of atomic bombs (nulcear weapons). One makes use of nuclear fission (splitting of the nucleus into 2) and one makes use of nuclear fusion (combining 2 nuclei into one). Fission bombs oftentimes use heavy factors such as uranium or plutonium, and fusion bombs use hydrogen (certainly deuterium and tritium or heavy isotopes of hydrogen with 2 and 3 neutrons respectively fairly of the conventional one). So fusion bombs are additionally noted as hydrogen bombs.

Answer 3

They are the same. The link has everything you need to know and more.

In the cartoon of the fusion device is also the technology being developed to replace traditional nuclear reactors with fusion type. Look up the NIF project at Lawrence Labs.

Answer 4

There are two basic types of nuclear weapons. The first are weapons which produce their explosive energy through nuclear fission reactions alone. These are known colloquially as atomic bombs, A-bombs, or fission bombs. In fission weapons, a mass of fissile material (enriched uranium or plutonium) is assembled into a supercritical mass—the amount of material needed to start an exponentially growing nuclear chain reaction—either by shooting one piece of sub-critical material into another (the "gun" method), or by compressing a sub-critical sphere of material using chemical explosives to many times its original density (the "implosion" method). The latter approach is considered more sophisticated than the former, and only the latter approach can be used if plutonium is the fissile material used.



The second basic type of nuclear weapon produces a large amount of its energy through nuclear fusion reactions, and can be over a thousand times more powerful than fission bombs as fusion reactions release much more energy per unit of mass than fission reactions. These are known as hydrogen bombs, H-bombs, thermonuclear bombs, or fusion bombs.

Basically Fission = Atomic Fusion = Nuclear

Answer 5

Nothing. Although the atom bomb would more commonly used under fission nukes than fusion bombs.

Answer 6

I think nuclear explosions are a lot more powerful than atomic ones. Oh and I also think that for the atom bombs they split hydrogen atoms now they use plutonium and uranium.

Answer 7

I think the Atomic bomb splits the Atom, and the nuclear uses nuclear energy.

Answer 8

Size ! Comparing the two is like comparing a skate board to a Mac truck !

Answer 9

its like comparing a Model T Ford to a Lamborghini Gallardo.more bang for the $$$ !

Answer 10

Bush can say atomic