What is the difference between nuclear and thermonuclear weapon?

Question

What is the difference between nuclear and thermonuclear weapon?

In: 205

Answer 1

Nuclear weapons split atoms apart (fission) go create the boom, usually uranium or plutonium.

Thermonuclear weapons fuse atoms together (fusion) to create the boom, usually hydrogen that fuse into helium this is why they’re sometimes called h-bombs. Because you need such an incredibly high temperature to achieve fusion thermonuclear bombs use a two stage design. They start with a fission explosion to get to a high enough temperature to set off the fusion explosion.