In December, North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un hinted that his nuclear-armed state has developed a hydrogen bomb.
North Korea has announced it had successfully carried out its first hydrogen bomb test, a move that had earned widespread condemnation from across the world. In December, North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un hinted that his nuclear-armed state has developed a hydrogen bomb, a move that would signal a major step forward in its nuclear weapons capabilities.North Korea has already tested three atom bombs.
Here is your 10-point fact sheet on why the hydrogen bomb is more dangerous:
- A Hydrogen bomb is a much more powerful atomic weapon.
- The energy released in a Hydrogen bomb is several magnitudes higher than an Atom bomb. Hydrogen bombs can devastate whole cities in one explosion.
- A Hydrogen bomb derives its energy through the fusion of atoms. An Atom bomb derives its energy from fission.
- Nuclear fusion and nuclear fission are different types of reactions that release energy. In fission, an atom is split into two or more smaller, lighter atoms.
- Fusion, in contrast, occurs when two or more atoms fuse together, creating a larger, heavier atom.
- Hydrogen bombs use the fusion of hydrogen atoms, hence its name.
- A fusion bomb is more sophisticated and difficult to make, since it requires a much higher temperature -- in the order of millions of degrees centigrade. So a fission is carried out first to produce more energy, which is then used to initiate fusion. In a fusion bomb, a fission device has to be triggered first.
- It is easier to make Hydrogen bombs in small size, so it is easier to place them in missiles.
- Hiroshima and Nagasaki both were atomic bombs and till date Hydrogen bombs have never been used in war.
- This is the fourth atomic test by North Korea and its first fusion bomb.
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