Half the world will go up in smoke... This single destructive bomb is heavier than 1000, why doesn't Trump take its name?

US President Donald Trump's statement regarding the nuclear bomb has raised fears worldwide that the pursuit of weapons of mass destruction could escalate. Amidst this debate, the hydrogen bomb has also come under discussion. Let's understand the difference between the two.

US President Donald Trump's statement regarding nuclear testing has sparked a global debate on nuclear bombs. A few days ago, during his visit to South Korea, Trump ordered the Pentagon to immediately resume nuclear weapons testing. When questioned by reporters, Trump stated that the United States possesses more nuclear weapons than any other country. He stated, "I think we should do something about nuclear disarmament. We have enough atomic bombs to destroy the world 150 times over." He also criticized Pakistan's nuclear testing, claiming that Russia possesses numerous nuclear weapons and that China will have more.

Trump's statements brought up the topic of hydrogen bombs, raising questions about which is more powerful, an atomic bomb or a hydrogen bomb. North Korea has been talking about acquiring nuclear warheads capable of hitting the United States. Media reports claim that North Korea is now capable of mounting a hydrogen bomb (H-bomb) on an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). Hydrogen bombs are believed to be far more powerful than conventional atomic bombs.

Understand in easy language

A hydrogen bomb (thermonuclear bomb) is much more powerful than an atomic bomb because it combines both processes – fission and fusion.

How powerful is an atomic bomb?

While atomic bombs work through nuclear fission, hydrogen bombs generate energy through nuclear fusion, the same process by which the sun and stars emit energy. The United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, during World War II. North Korea's first three nuclear tests (2006–2013) were atomic bomb-level, roughly equivalent to Hiroshima and Nagasaki. More than 200,000 people died in those two cities.

A hydrogen bomb is technologically extremely complex. Once a country develops it, it could pose a serious global threat, as it can be made small enough to fit on an ICBM warhead. Al-Jazeera quoted Andrei Lankov, a professor at Kookmin University in Seoul, as saying that a hydrogen bomb could wipe out an entire city like New York, leaving no survivors. Whereas with an atomic bomb, you can only damage half of Manhattan.

What is the basic difference between an atom bomb and a hydrogen bomb?

Atomic bombs (Fission): They release energy by splitting heavy nuclei (such as uranium or plutonium). The bomb dropped on Hiroshima had a yield of approximately 13 kilotons of TNT. Hydrogen bombs (Fission + Fusion): First, a fission explosion occurs, generating immense heat and pressure; this then triggers the fusion of lighter elements (such as hydrogen isotopes), releasing an additional enormous amount of energy.

For example, the largest hydrogen bomb, the Tsar Bomba, had a yield of approximately 50 megatons, or about 50,000 kilotons, which is about 3,800 times greater than the Hiroshima bomb (approximately 13 kilotons). Therefore, hydrogen bombs are considered "second-generation" nuclear weapons. Their destructive power is thousands of times greater than that of atomic bombs. However, Andrei Lankov also said that such an expensive and powerful weapon is "overkill" for North Korea. It's like buying a Porsche just to go to the nearest store. This program is very expensive and won't make much difference to their security. But governments sometimes make crazy decisions.

The five largest nuclear powers

Currently, the world's five largest nuclear powers—the United States, Russia, France, Britain, and China—possess hydrogen bombs. Several other countries are also working to develop them, despite global efforts to prevent nuclear proliferation.

PC:NBT