hydrogen bomb

[ hahy-druh-juhn bom ]

noun

1. a bomb, more powerful than an atomic bomb, that derives its explosive energy from the thermonuclear fusion reaction of hydrogen isotopes.

hydrogen bomb

noun

1. a type of bomb in which energy is released by fusion of hydrogen nuclei to give helium nuclei. The energy required to initiate the fusion is provided by the detonation of an atomic bomb, which is surrounded by a hydrogen-containing substance such as lithium deuteride Also calledH-bomb See also fusion bomb

hydrogen bomb

1. An extremely destructive bomb whose explosive power is derived from the energy released when hydrogen atoms are fused to form helium. This atomic fusion reaction is the same reaction that takes place in stars like the Sun, where the pressure of gravity forces hydrogen atoms to fuse; a hydrogen bomb uses the force of an atomic explosion (the fission reaction exploited in atomic bombs ) to compress the hydrogen to the point where fusion takes place. Hydrogen bombs are many times more powerful than atomic bombs.

hydrogen bomb

1. A nuclear weapon with enormous explosive power, fueled by nuclear fusion , in which atoms of hydrogen combine to form atoms of helium .

Word History and Origins

Origin of hydrogen bomb¹

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

No national leader in the world today has seen a nuclear explosion, much less the detonation of a multi-megaton hydrogen bomb.

From Washington Post

Harold Agnew, former director of the Los Alamos nuclear weapons lab, believed that world leaders should be periodically required to witness the detonation of a hydrogen bomb, simply to remind them of what would happen if things got out of hand.

From Washington Post

The effect is akin to a hydrogen bomb, a powerful thermonuclear weapon in which fission reactions trigger fusion, says Matt Caplan of Illinois State University in Normal.

From Science News

He also worked on Project Matterhorn B in the early 1950s, the controversial US effort to develop a hydrogen bomb.

From Ars Technica

Any chance the suspended hydrogen bomb will make a return appearance later in the season?

From The Daily Beast

"It's true that one of the possibilities in building a hydrogen bomb concerns deuterium," the scientist said.

From Project Gutenberg

Most of the reporting night shift at the Aiken hydrogen bomb plant never reached the tightly-guarded gates.

From Project Gutenberg

Force of a hydrogen bomb—forty thousand innocent people gone in a microsecond.

From Project Gutenberg

"That rocket was built around a hydrogen bomb," O'Donnell said, his strong face triumphant.

From Project Gutenberg

His words were broken off by the tremendous roar and concussion of the hydrogen bomb.

From Project Gutenberg