Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Chemistry => Topic started by: Killerhobbes117 on 22/04/2009 21:30:02

Title: How does a Hydrogen bomb work?
Post by: Killerhobbes117 on 22/04/2009 21:30:02
justin remmell asked the Naked Scientists:
   
How does a Hydrogen bomb work (in detail)?

What do you think?
Title: How does a Hydrogen bomb work?
Post by: Chemistry4me on 23/04/2009 01:10:28
Quote
The presumable structure of a thermonuclear bomb is as follows: at its center is an atomic bomb; surrounding it is a layer of lithium deuteride (a compound of lithium and deuterium, the isotope of hydrogen with mass number 2); around it is a tamper, a thick outer layer, frequently of fissionable material, that holds the contents together in order to obtain a larger explosion. Neutrons from the atomic explosion cause the lithium to fission into helium, tritium (the isotope of hydrogen with mass number 3), and energy. The atomic explosion also supplies the temperatures needed for the subsequent fusion of deuterium with tritium, and of tritium with tritium (50,000,000°C and 400,000,000°C, respectively). Enough neutrons are produced in the fusion reactions to produce further fission in the core and to initiate fission in the tamper.

http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/history/A0824719.html
Title: How does a Hydrogen bomb work?
Post by: lightarrow on 23/04/2009 13:04:19
Quote from: Chemistry4me on 23/04/2009 01:10:28
Quote
The presumable structure of a thermonuclear bomb is as follows: at its center is an atomic bomb; surrounding it is a layer of lithium deuteride (a compound of lithium and deuterium, the isotope of hydrogen with mass number 2); around it is a tamper, a thick outer layer, frequently of fissionable material, that holds the contents together in order to obtain a larger explosion. Neutrons from the atomic explosion cause the lithium to fission into helium, tritium (the isotope of hydrogen with mass number 3), and energy. The atomic explosion also supplies the temperatures needed for the subsequent fusion of deuterium with tritium, and of tritium with tritium (50,000,000°C and 400,000,000°C, respectively). Enough neutrons are produced in the fusion reactions to produce further fission in the core and to initiate fission in the tamper.

http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/history/A0824719.html
In addition, there should be an outer layer of conventional explosive which brings together the fissionable material, making it reach the critical mass and so explode.
Title: How does a Hydrogen bomb work?
Post by: Don_1 on 23/04/2009 13:20:18
Allow me to demonstrate,

First you wack some of this gunk in here. Now mix in some ''owsyerfather' and a bit of 'wasitsname' then connect it up to AAA battery, like this and
(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjameswagner.com%2Fmt_archives%2FAtomic%2520Bomb.gif&hash=c499e42bc6b14704ab12165d182685b3)

Opps, now look what I've gone and done!
Title: How does a Hydrogen bomb work?
Post by: Chemistry4me on 23/04/2009 13:23:48
Brilliant! You're an absolute genius!
Title: How does a Hydrogen bomb work?
Post by: lightarrow on 23/04/2009 20:23:56
Yes, simpler than what I thought... [:)]