Question

The hydrogen bomb uses the principle of:
A.Nuclear fission
B.Nuclear fusion
C.Radioactive decay
D.Both A and B

Answer 1

Hint: Hydrogen bomb is a nuclear weapon. Nuclear weapons are based on nuclear fusion and fission reactions. Generally, in nuclear fusion reactions, the lighter atoms fuse to form a heavier atom whereas in nuclear fission reaction there is a breaking of a larger molecule into smaller fragments.

Step-by-step Explanation:
Step 1
Hydrogen bomb which is also known as a thermonuclear bomb is a weapon whose enormous power of the explosion is because of the uncontrolled chain reactions in which isotopes of hydrogen combine under extremely high temperature to form helium. This process is known as nuclear fusion. This is a proton-proton chain reaction.
Step 2
Under ordinary conditions, the positive electrical charges of the atomic nuclei strongly repel other nuclei and prevent them from coming close to each other. At a very high temperature, the positively charged nuclei gain sufficient kinetic energy which overcomes the repulsive force and combine. The very light nuclei of hydrogen atoms are ideal for this fusion process.
Step 3
The general reaction in the hydrogen bomb is:
\[_1^2D + _1^3T\xrightarrow{\Delta }_2^4He + {n^0}\]
In this process, 17.58 MeV energy is generated.
Step 4
The hydrogen nuclei to form the helium nuclei lose a very small portion of their mass. According to Einstein’s formula, \[E = m{c^2}\] a huge amount of energy is produced due to the small loss in the mass of the hydrogen atom, which accounts for the enormous power of the hydrogen bomb.
Generally, the deuterium and tritium the two isotopes of hydrogen take part in this nuclear fusion reaction to form a larger nucleus of helium.
Hence the correct answer: (B) Nuclear fusion

Note: Though nuclear fission and fusion reactions both generate an enormous amount of energy, both of them are not similar. In a nuclear fission reaction, there is the splitting of a heavy, unstable nucleus to two lighter nuclei whereas in nuclear fusion reaction the two light nuclei combine to release a vast amount of energy.