"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."
Nuclear Weapons are weapons that use nuclear reactions to release energy in an explosive manner.
Nuclear physics: Understanding the fundamental principles of nuclear energy, radiation, and chain reactions is essential for comprehending the science and technology behind nuclear weapons.
Nuclear weapon design: Knowledge of the different types of nuclear weapons, their modes of operation, and the design principles that govern their construction is essential.
Nuclear nonproliferation: International agreements, treaties, and other measures that aim to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons are important to understand in order to mitigate nuclear-related risks.
Nuclear deterrence: The ideological concept that the threat of using nuclear weapons can dissuade nations from engaging in hostile activities.
Nuclear proliferation: The process where nations acquire nuclear weapons or nuclear technology, leading to the spread of nuclear capabilities globally.
Nuclear arms control: Various approaches to regulating and reducing the level of nuclear arms and risks, such as limiting warhead and missile counts.
Nuclear arms race: The competition in development and accumulation of destructive nuclear arsenal between countries.
Nuclear disarmament: The process of reducing and eliminating nuclear weapons by countries or globally.
Nuclear terrorism: Using nuclear weapons or materials for terrorist attacks has become a critical concern for the security of nations worldwide.
Radiological/mass casualty incidents: High yield nuclear explosions will produce a significant amount of energy that can cause massive damage to buildings, causing the dispersal of radioactive materials which could cause mass destruction of lives and property.
Chemical weapons: These weapons use chemicals or their reaction products to cause damage to humans, animals, or plants.
Biological weapons: Bioweapons are agents intended to create a disease and harm living organisms as a means of warfare.
CBRN defense: The measures in place designed to protect against chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear threats, including the training and preparation of military and first responders.
Delivery systems: The technology used to deliver nuclear weapons, including missile systems, air-delivery, and sea-based defense mechanisms.
Nuclear testing: Testing of nuclear weapons is an essential aspect of research, development, and validation of the efficacy of nuclear weapons. However, there is an agreement among nations outlawing nuclear testing in the atmosphere, outer space, and underwater.
Effects of nuclear weapons: Understanding the immediate and long-term impact of nuclear weapons on people and the environment, including radiation poisoning, physical damage to the infrastructure, and social and psychological effects.
Nuclear accidents: Lessons from accidents such as Chernobyl, Fukushima, and Three Mile Island that have significant repercussions on human life and the environment.
Fission weapons: These are the simplest type of nuclear weapons, consisting of a small amount of fissile material (such as uranium or plutonium) that is compressed to create a critical mass, triggering a nuclear reaction that releases a massive amount of energy in the form of both heat and radiation.
Fusion weapons: These are more complex devices that use the heat and pressure of a fission blast to compress and ignite a secondary fusion fuel, such as hydrogen isotopes, to release an even greater amount of energy. Fusion weapons are also known as hydrogen bombs or thermonuclear devices.
Enhanced radiation weapons (ERWs): These are also known as neutron bombs, which are designed to release a large amount of neutron radiation while minimizing the blast and heat effects of a nuclear explosion. ERWs are designed to be used in situations where it is necessary to neutralize enemy troops and equipment with minimum collateral damage to the surrounding infrastructure.
"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."