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The Science Behind Nuclear Fission & Nuclear Fusion
By Mary Bellis, About.com Guide
The Difference Between Nuclear Fission & Nuclear Fusion
There are two types of atomic explosions that can be facilitated by Uranium-235: fission and fusion. Fission, simply put, is a nuclear reaction in which an atomic nucleus splits into fragments, usually two fragments of comparable mass, emitting 100 million to several hundred million volts of energy. This energy is expelled explosively and violently in the atomic bomb. A fusion reaction is usually started with a fission reaction, but unlike the fission (atomic) bomb, the fusion (hydrogen) bomb derives its power from the fusing of nuclei of various hydrogen isotopes into helium nuclei. This article discusses the A-bomb or atomic bomb.