How do they differ in their material makeup, efficiency, scope, scale and destructive power?
In: Chemistry
Both atomic and hydrogen bombs are nuclear weapons.
An **atomic weapon** uses nuclear *fission.* Fission is when you break a single atom apart; this action releases a great deal of energy. There are certain kinds of atoms, like uranium and plutonium, which are relatively easy to break apart, and when we pack them together and set off a fissile reaction, they all explode at once. The same process is used in creating peaceful nuclear power, but in a much more controlled setting. The bombs dropped on Japan in 1945 were atomic weapons.
A **hydrogen weapon** is also called a “thermonuclear weapon” and instead uses nuclear *fusion,* which is when you smoosh two atoms (usually hydrogen) together to make a bigger atom. This action releases way more energy than fission. Fusion is what the Sun has been doing for billions of years…when we detonate a hydrogen bomb, we are momentarily creating a star. Fusion requires such a great deal of energy to kick off that hydrogen bombs *have an atomic bomb inside them as a trigger.* That should give you the idea of the difference between the two…an H-bomb can be hundreds to thousands of times more powerful than an A-bomb, and much more efficient in terms of how much of the material is used up. Hydrogen weapons have never been used in war, but they make up most of today’s nuclear arsenal.
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