To become stable, unstable atoms emit radiation in the form of particles, such as alpha and beta radiation, or in the form of electromagnetic waves, such as gamma radiation and x-rays. Alpha radiation: radiation consisting of helium nuclei that are unloaded by the radioactive degradation of some heavy elements, including uranium-238, radium-226, and plutonium.

Beta radiation: radiation consisting of electrons or positrons emitted by atoms at a speed approaching the speed of light. Gamma radiation: electromagnetic waves released during radioactive decay, which can ionize atoms and separate chemical bonds.

This is approximately one ionization per cubic micron. Chain reaction: the process of nuclear fission, in which neutrons are released, causes other reactions of nuclear fission with the same or greater speed. In nuclear weapons, an extremely fast multiplying chain reaction causes an explosive release of energy. In a nuclear reactor, the speed of the chain reaction is controlled to generate heat or a large number  neutrons.

Critical mass: the amount of fissile material that will provide a self-sustaining chain reaction. The amount depends on both the properties of the fissile element and the shape of the mass. Hydrogen bomb: a nuclear weapon that gets its energy from the fusion of hydrogen. Also known as thermonuclear weapons.

How the bomb works: nuclear weapons, like ordinary bombs, are designed to cause damage during an explosion, that is, as a result of the release of a large amount of energy in a short period of time. In conventional bombs, an explosion is created by a chemical reaction that involves the rearrangement of atoms to form new molecules. The amount of energy released is proportional to the binding energies of the molecules. In nuclear weapons, an explosion is created by changing the atoms themselves - they are either split or fused to create new atoms.

The binding energies inside atoms have many magnitudes of order greater than the binding energies of molecules. There are two main types of nuclear weapons: atomic bombs that use fission as the main reaction, that is, the atoms are split; hydrogen bombsthat use synthesis as the main reaction, that is, the atoms are fused together.

Plutonium occurs naturally in only small quantities. Most plutonium is produced in reactors by dividing uranium. It must then be removed in a reprocessing plant if it is to be used. Low-enriched uranium can be used in nuclear power reactors. Mechanics: plutonium and uranium atoms are heavy, i.e. have a large number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus. The fission of a heavy nucleus can be spontaneous or induced neutron absorption. During fission, when the heavy nucleus splits into two smaller nuclei, additional neutrons are released.

If these neutrons are absorbed by other nuclei, they, in turn, can split, also releasing neutrons. As a rule, neutrons emitted by an atom spontaneously “pass through” other atoms and therefore do not stimulate further fission. However, if atoms combine under high pressure, the frequency of neutron “strikes” increases and a chain reaction may occur. At nuclear power plants, this chain reaction is controlled by the absorption of additional neutrons. In nuclear weapons, this chain reaction becomes critical, that is, uncontrolled.

Achieve criticality in atomic bomb: to achieve critical importance and, therefore, to create an explosion from atom fission, an uncontrolled chain reaction must be generated by compressing a fissile material so that the atoms are close enough to release the neutrons to strike. Such compression can be obtained using the gun method or the implosion method . Gun method: One mass of uranium is burned in a barrel to another mass of uranium. This is the simplest design and was used for the Hiroshima bomb.

However, it is not as effective as the implosion method. Implosion method. The sphere of fissile material - plutonium or highly enriched uranium - is surrounded by ordinary explosives that are detonated simultaneously. Knock timing is crucial for compressing the material sufficiently and evenly.

Blast B thermonuclear bombs  deuterium and tritium — two isotopes of hydrogen — are fused together to create heavier atoms. This is the same reaction as in the center of the sun. Merging can occur only at very high temperatures and pressures. In nuclear weapons, they are created by fission explosion to trigger a fusion reaction. There is no theoretical limit to the explosive power of a fusible weapon.

Mechanics: in fusion bombs, deuterium and tritium are fused together to create heavier atoms. In nuclear weapons, these levels of temperature and pressure are created using a fission explosion to trigger a fusion reaction. Materials for weapons: the core of the fission bomb is either plutonium or highly enriched uranium. These are the only materials that can provide a self-sustaining chain reaction. If it is to be used, it must then be removed in an installation for recycling.

Deuterium and tritium are hydrogen isotopes that are used in thermonuclear weapons. Tritium is also used in the fission bomb as a source of additional neutrons to facilitate the fission process. Immediate consequence nuclear explosion. A nuclear explosion produces several different types of energy that have devastating consequences: an explosion, thermal radiation, an electromagnetic pulse, direct nuclear radiation, and precipitation. The degree of damage will depend on various factors, including the size of the nuclear weapon, the height of its detonation and the geography of the target.

Explosion: The rapid release of energy in an explosion creates a shock wave of overpressure. Very close to the center of a nuclear explosion, the overpressure is equivalent to several thousand pounds per square inch. This is a hundred times more pressure in a pressure cooker.

Excessive pressure destroys objects. The human lungs are crushed at an overpressure of about 30 pounds per square inch. The explosion also generates high-speed winds that can turn people or objects into rockets. The shock wave pressure can also cause deafness.

Heat radiation: Heat radiation includes light and heat. A nuclear explosion releases a tremendous amount of energy like light that can be seen hundreds of miles away. The light is so intense that it can blast sand, blind people for many miles, burn shadows into concrete and ignite flammable materials at long distances. Thermal radiation also causes burns on human skin. The flash radius depends on the power of the weapon and the clarity of the atmosphere. A blast above the clouds can reduce burns caused by heat flare.

The heat from the explosion is so intense that almost all the materials in the center of the explosion immediately evaporate. Thermal radiation also creates a fireball, which quickly expands outward, consuming oxygen and, combined with an explosive effect, creates almost complete destruction at some distance from the epicenter.

Electromagnetic impulse: a nuclear explosion also sends an electromagnetic impulse similar to a thermal impulse. Although the electromagnetic pulse does not directly harm people, it can cause destruction at the site of a nuclear explosion, since it shuts off all electrical devices in its path, such as medical equipment and microchips found on new cars.

Direct Nuclear Radiation: A nuclear explosion releases several types of radiation. Both gamma rays and neutrons easily penetrate solid objects and can be deadly. Beta and alpha particles, as a rule, are less dangerous, have much shorter ranges - several meters and several centimeters, respectively. Alpha particles cannot penetrate human skin. However, if swallowed, the alpha particles will cause the most damage to the human body.

Some of these materials will land on the ground within a few minutes, and the radioactive fallout can continue to descend for about 24 hours. Ascending and descending debris form a mushroom cloud, which follows a nuclear explosion. No early precipitation is associated with high-altitude explosions, although an explosion well above the ground leads to the fact that radioactive precipitation rises to a great height in the mushroom cloud and gradually descends to a large area.

The distribution of precipitation depends on the land topography and weather conditions, especially on the direction and speed of the wind. Radioactive fallout can move and settle in areas hundreds of miles from the site of the explosion. Radioactive fallout can be the most dangerous effect of a nuclear explosion, since the area affected by precipitation is much wider than the area of ​​direct nuclear radiation.

Since there is no known way to neutralize a radioactive substance, besides sending it through a nuclear reactor, radioactive products are dangerous as long as they do not decompose to such an extent that they no longer emit significant amounts of radiation. This time is usually considered a half-life 10 times.

Degree of damage: the degree of damage depends on the size of the nuclear weapon, the terrain and the height at which it is detonated. Nuclear weaponBlown up at ground level creates more precipitation as a result of a large amount of soil material that is bombarded by an explosion and ejected into the air, but the effects of thermal radiation and radioactive waves are less than with an air explosion.

Most of them are about 100 thousand tons, i.e. about 10 times the power of the Hiroshima bomb. The effects of radiation on people. The effect of radiation on the human body varies depending on the dose of radiation and whether the effect is slow, prolonged or large and instantaneous.

Radiation affects the cells in the human body, which are actively dividing. The most frequent type of exposure is exposure to small areas of the body. Damage to localized tissue and blood vessels in open areas can lead to organ dysfunction.