Eli5 Do nukes really split an atom to explode?
In: Technology
If it’s a fission explosion then yes. There are isotopes of atoms (they have the same number of protons but different number of neutrons) that are very unstable and they are just itching to reach a stable state. When they’re hit with a high energy particle they break up to try to reach that stable state – they break into other elements and also release a ton of energy in the process.
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