The Chemistry of Nuclear Weapons Nuclear weapons are weapons capable of mass destruction. They are powered by two reactions, fission and fusion. These weapons produce massive explosions and hazardous radioactive products. Some miniaturized tactical weapons have the force of a kiloton of TNT. While other strategic weapons create thousands of kilotons of force. However, only two nuclear bombs have been used in actual warfare. The Atomic Bomb and the Hydrogen Bomb. Nuclear fission is the …
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…group of American and European-refugee scientists. Following the test explosion of a plutonium device on July 16, 1945, near Alamogordo, N.Mex., a uranium bomb and a plutonium bomb were dropped on, respectively, Hiroshima (Aug. 6) and Nagasaki (Aug. 9). Bergerund, Eric M. Dropping the Bomb. New York: Newsday, 1995. Parshall, Gerald. Shock wave. U.S.A: U.S. News and World, 1995. The Century. Narr. Peter Jennings. ABC Special Report, 1999. Nuclear Fusion Basics. January 2000. <http://www.jet.uk/fusion1.html>