Nuclear bombs are weapons of mass destruction. They harness the forces that hold the nucleus of an atom together by using the energy released when the particles of the nucleus (neutrons and protons) are either split or merged.

There are two ways that nuclear energy can be released from an atom:

• Nuclear fission - the nucleus of an atom is split into two smaller fragments by a neutron. This method usually involves isotopes of uranium (uranium-235, uranium-233) or plutonium (plutonium-239).

• Nuclear fusion - two smaller atoms are brought together, usually hydrogen or hydrogen isotopes (deuterium, tritium), to form a larger one (helium isotopes); this is how the sun produces energy.

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The atomic bomb uses nuclear fission and the hydrogen bomb uses nuclear fusion. Click on the links below to find out more about these nuclear bombs.

The Atomic Bomb >>
The Hydrogen Bomb >>