"A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion reactions."
The development and use of nuclear weapons including atomic bombs, hydrogen bombs, and other types of nuclear explosives.
Atomic structure: The study of the arrangement of subatomic particles in an atom.
Isotopes: Atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons.
Radioactive decay: The process by which unstable atomic nuclei release energy and particles.
Nuclear reaction types: Fission, fusion, and transmutation.
Nuclear energy levels: The energy levels that an atomic nucleus can possess.
Half-life: The time it takes for half of a radioactive element's atoms to decay.
Nuclear chain reactions: A self-sustaining reaction in which the products of one reaction lead to more reactions.
Nuclear fuel cycle: The process by which nuclear fuel is mined, enriched, used in reactors, and stored as waste.
Nuclear proliferation: The spread of nuclear weapons and technology to new countries and groups.
Nuclear weapons design: The process of designing a nuclear weapon, including the selection of materials and the calculation of yields.
Critical mass: The minimum amount of fissile material required to sustain a chain reaction.
Radiation effects: The effects of ionizing radiation on the human body, including acute radiation sickness and cancer.
Nuclear deterrence: The principle that the threat of using nuclear weapons can deter an adversary from attacking.
Arms control: The efforts to limit or reduce the number and types of nuclear weapons held by countries.
Nuclear disarmament: The complete elimination of nuclear weapons.
Nuclear accident and safety: The prevention of accidents and mitigation of their consequences in nuclear power plants and other nuclear facilities.
Nuclear terrorism: The use of nuclear weapons or radioactive material by non-state actors for terrorist purposes.
Nuclear winter: The hypothetical climatic effects that would result from a large-scale nuclear war.
Nuclear fusion research: The study of fusion as a potential energy source for the future.
Ethical considerations: The ethical implications and dilemmas associated with the development and use of nuclear weapons.
Atomic Bombs: A type of nuclear weapon that releases a massive amount of energy by splitting the atomic nucleus of uranium or plutonium.
Hydrogen Bombs: A type of nuclear weapon that works by fusing the nuclei of hydrogen atoms together, releasing even greater amounts of energy than an atomic bomb.
Neutron Bombs: A type of nuclear weapon that releases a large amount of neutron radiation to kill living organisms but causes little damage to buildings and infrastructure.
Dirty Bombs: A type of weapon that combines conventional explosives with radioactive material, designed to spread radiation over a wide area.
Mini Nukes: A type of nuclear weapon that is smaller in size than traditional nuclear bombs, but still has significant destructive power.
Enhanced-Radiation or "Neutron" Weapons: A type of weapon that focuses on the release of radiation without causing major damage to infrastructure, intended to produce a lethal blast of radiation.
Salted bombs: A type of weapon that releases radioactive isotopes as part of its explosive force. These isotopes can spread over a wider area and have longer-lasting effects.
"Cobalt" or "Doomsday" devices: A hypothetical type of weapon that would use the radioactive isotope cobalt-60 to create a long-lasting radioactive fallout, rendering a targeted region uninhabitable for years or even decades.
Tactical nukes: A type of nuclear weapon that is designed for use on a battlefield, with a smaller yield than strategic nuclear weapons.
Suitcase nukes: A type of portable nuclear weapon that can be transported by a single person, typically used for sabotage or assassination purposes.
Submarine-launched ballistic missiles: A type of missile that can deliver nuclear warheads from a submarine, intended for use as part of a second-strike capability in nuclear warfare.
Intercontinental ballistic missiles: A type of missile that can travel long distances to deliver nuclear warheads, intended for strategic use against other countries.
Multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles: A type of missile that can carry multiple nuclear warheads, each capable of targeting a different location.
"Both bomb types release large quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter."
"The first test of a fission bomb released an amount of energy approximately equal to 20,000 tons of TNT (84 TJ)."
"The first thermonuclear bomb test released energy approximately equal to 10 million tons of TNT (42 PJ)."
"Nuclear bombs have had yields between 10 tons TNT (the W54) and 50 megatons for the Tsar Bomba."
"A thermonuclear weapon weighing as little as 600 pounds can release energy equal to more than 1.2 megatonnes of TNT (5.0 PJ)."
"A nuclear device no larger than a conventional bomb can devastate an entire city by blast, fire, and radiation."
"Since they are weapons of mass destruction, the proliferation of nuclear weapons is a focus of international relations policy."
"Nuclear weapons have been deployed twice in war, by the United States against the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 during World War II."
"A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission (fission bomb) or a combination of fission and fusion reactions (thermonuclear bomb)."
"Both bomb types release large quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter."
"The first test of a fission bomb released an amount of energy approximately equal to 20,000 tons of TNT (84 TJ)."
"The first thermonuclear bomb test released energy approximately equal to 10 million tons of TNT (42 PJ)."
"Nuclear bombs have had yields between 10 tons TNT (the W54) and 50 megatons for the Tsar Bomba."
"A thermonuclear weapon weighing as little as 600 pounds can release energy equal to more than 1.2 megatonnes of TNT (5.0 PJ)."
"A nuclear device no larger than a conventional bomb can devastate an entire city by blast, fire, and radiation."
"Since they are weapons of mass destruction, the proliferation of nuclear weapons is a focus of international relations policy."
"Nuclear weapons have been deployed twice in war, by the United States against the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 during World War II."
"Fission bombs derive their destructive force from fission reactions, whereas thermonuclear bombs utilize a combination of fission and fusion reactions."
"Nuclear weapons were deployed by the United States against the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 during World War II."