Nuclear Bomb Explosions: Speed & Energy Release

[Bison01]

hey guys just a simple question, I think.

How fast does the nuclear fusion/fission reactions n explosion occur? Is it at the speed of light?

Will there be any energy release b4 the explosion, Or should only b after the explosion? I always thought the fission/fusion reaction cause it to explode then release energy.

Does the high concentration of energy in Nuclear bombs have something to do with the speed of its explosion? Does it mean the more concentrated the energy the faster it will explode logically?

Thnx in advance.

 

[Astronuc]

Nuclear fission does not occur at the speed of light.

Nuclear explosions are an example of a prompt supercritical process that is rather unique. The prompt neutron lifetime is on the order 10^-7 s, or 0.1 us.

There is a neutron source to get started, but once started the neutron multiplication occurs very rapidly - on the order of microseconds.

The yield is determined by how many fissions can occur before the fissile mass dissipates.

Thermo nuclear explosions are initiated by fission-based triggers, so there is a fission detonation before the thermonuclear detonation.

 

[Bison01]

Thnx for the response

Its just that I read some site where it says the reactions occur n explode at hundred billionth of a second, I jus wanted to confirm it.

So I am guessing no energy should be released til after the explosion.

thnx for the additional info. good night. Peace.

 

[Drakkith]

Thnx for the response

Its just that I read some site where it says the reactions occur n explode at hundred billionth of a second, I jus wanted to confirm it.

So I am guessing no energy should be released til after the explosion.

thnx for the additional info. good night. Peace.

Each time a reaction happens it releases the same amount of energy. If you don't build it correctly, the warhead will get blown too far apart for any more fission to occur before you can reach a large explosion.

For example, in nuclear reactors they use radioactive materials to generate heat to power a steam turbine. The materials are carefully protected by control rods that absorb neutrons and keep them from initiating too many reactions at once and leading to a runaway reaction. Same effect as a nuclear bomb, but it's a controlled reaction instead.