Wasn’t the H-bomb (fusion) supposed to be way more powerful and unpredictable than the A-bomb (fission)? Kinda confused here and I’m certainly mixing bombs with energy production. But if you could give me the essential I’d appreciate it. Thank you.
In: Chemistry
A hydrogen bomb is more powerful than a regular atomic bomb, but in those cases we’re talking about an uncontrolled explosion rather than a controlled, steady reaction.
Adding to what others have said, The big difference in safety between fission and fusion is the waste products.
When you split an atom the two halves, called fission products, are often highly radioactive. This presents a problem, in terms of disposing of the waste, and is a significant hazard in the case of a major accident.
The main product of nuclear fusion is helium, which is harmless. There would be some radioactive waste due to a process called neutron activation, but it would not be on the same level as the waste produced by fission.
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