Assume one-fourth of the yield of a typical 320-kTstrategic bomb comes from fission reactions averaging 200MeV and the remainder from fusion reactions averaging 20MeV.(a) Calculate the number of fissions and the approximatemass of uranium and plutonium fissioned, taking the averageatomic mass to be 238.(b) Find the number of fusions and calculate the approximatemass of fusion fuel, assuming an average total atomic massof the two nuclei in each reaction to be 5.(c) Considering the masses found, does it seem reasonablethat some missiles could carry 10 warheads? Discuss, notingthat the nuclear fuel is only a part of the mass of a warhead.
Nuclear Fusion
Nuclear fusion is a type of nuclear reaction. In nuclear fusion, two or more than two lighter atomic nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus. During this process, an enormous amount of energy is released. This energy is called nuclear energy. Nuclear fusion is the energy source of the sun and stars.
Fusion Bomb
A fusion bomb is also known as a thermonuclear bomb or hydrogen bomb which releases a large amount of explosive energy during a nuclear chain reaction when the lighter nuclei in it, combine to form heavier nuclei, and a large amount of radiation is released. It is an uncontrolled, self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction where isotopes of hydrogen combine under very high temperature to form helium. They work on the principle of operation of atomic fusion. The isotopes of Hydrogen are deuterium and tritium, where they combine their masses and have greater mass than the product nuclei, get heated at high temperatures, and releases energy.
Assume one-fourth of the yield of a typical 320-kT
strategic bomb comes from fission reactions averaging 200
MeV and the remainder from fusion reactions averaging 20
MeV.
(a) Calculate the number of fissions and the approximate
mass of uranium and plutonium fissioned, taking the
atomic mass
(b) Find the number of fusions and calculate the approximate
mass of fusion fuel, assuming an average total atomic mass
of the two nuclei in each reaction to be 5.
(c) Considering the masses found, does it seem reasonable
that some missiles could carry 10 warheads? Discuss, noting
that the nuclear fuel is only a part of the mass of a warhead.
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