Thermal nuclear weapon, also known as hydrogen bomb, is a type of nuclear weapon which is based on the nuclear fusion process ...

Subtle quantum effects within atomic nuclei can dramatically affect how some nuclei break apart. By studying 100 isotopes ...

Using surplus plutonium as fuel for advanced nuclear reactors can cut costs, reduce waste, and strengthen U.S.

An international collaboration of scientists working with the FAIR Phase 0 program at the GSI Helmholtzzentrum für ...

Plutonium-239, a key fissile material used in nuclear warheads, is one of the world’s most toxic substances if inhaled.

As it was said (and sang) in 1979, plutonium is forever…with thousands of years of radioactivity from nuclear fission (especially plutonium 239). Jeff Bezos—proving again that he is not ...

If the right kind of material is packed together in the right way, such as refined uranium or plutonium, a fission chain reaction, where more and more atoms are split by the neutrons emitted from ...

Nuclear Fission: Heavy isotopes such as Uranium-235 or Plutonium-239 undergo fission. Chain Reaction: The fission of these isotopes releases neutrons that trigger further fission in nearby atoms.

fission and fusion. As explained by ThoughtCo, a hydrogen bomb uses not only uranium or plutonium but also hydrogen isotopes like deuterium and tritium. These hydrogen atoms fuse to create a much ...

Weapons are supercritical: The plutonium is compressed enough to sustain chains of nuclear fission reactions, the splitting of atomic nuclei. The chain reactions occur because fission spits out ...

Most RTGs are built using plutonium-238 as their source of energy, which is not usable for nuclear power plants since it does not sustain fission reactions. Instead, plutonium-238 is an unstable ...

Uranium, plutonium and thorium can all be dissolved in appropriate ... In these liquid fuel designs, the fission products are dissolved into the molten salt, which is able to circulate through the ...