Question
Question: Hydrogen bomb is based on the principle of: A. Nuclear fission B. Nuclear fusion C. Nuclear ex...
Hydrogen bomb is based on the principle of:
A. Nuclear fission
B. Nuclear fusion
C. Nuclear explosion
D. Chemical reaction
Solution
A hydrogen bomb is a thermonuclear weapon based on the combined principle of nuclear fission and fusion, which will cause a nuclear explosion, thus, leading to a mass destruction and can wipe out a major population in just a few seconds. It is a second-generation weapon which has a thousand times more impact than the first generation weapons.
Complete step by step answer:
The second-generation nuclear weapons are based on the concept of a major second staged nuclear fusion reaction accompanied by a nuclear fission reaction which is further associated with a primary and a secondary fission process.
A fusion explosion starts with the detonation of the primary stage of fission. Its temperature increases and soars past approximately 100 million kelvins of temperature, causing it to glow strongly with the help of thermal X-ray radiation. These X-rays flood the void between the primary and secondary assemblies placed within a closed space called a radiation case, which contains the X-ray energy and opposes its pressure from the outside. The distance separating the primary and secondary assemblies ensures that broken fragments from the primary fission process (which move at a very slower rate than X-ray photons) cannot disassemble the secondary fission process before the fusion explosion gets completed. The separate nuclear fusion secondary stage contains a thermonuclear fuel which comprises the heavy hydrogen isotopes such as deuterium and tritium. If the control rods are removed, this will call for a severe nuclear explosion. In modern weapons, lithium deuteride is used as a thermonuclear fuel.
Thus, the correct option is C. Nuclear explosion.
Note:
A huge amount of energy is released in the explosion reactions of such thermonuclear weapons and making of these weapons is forbidden by the United Nations. The nuclear fusion and fission reactions combine together to produce devastating nuclear explosions.