plutonium bomb

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Definition
  1. Noun:
    • A type of nuclear weapon where the explosive energy is produced by the nuclear fission (splitting) of plutonium-239 nuclei. It is also commonly known as an atomic bomb or A-bomb when based on this fissile material.
Usage

The term "plutonium bomb" is used to specify the core material of a fission-based nuclear weapon. It distinguishes such a device from one using uranium-235. * The first nuclear device ever tested, codenamed "Trinity," was a plutonium bomb. * The atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki was a plutonium bomb, nicknamed "Fat Man."

Advanced Usage
  • Technical Context: In technical and historical discussions, "plutonium bomb" often refers specifically to an implosion-type nuclear device, as this design is necessary to efficiently detonate a plutonium core.
    • The implosion design of the plutonium bomb was more complex than the gun-type uranium bomb.
Variants and Related Words
  • Atomic bomb (A-bomb): A general term for a fission bomb, which can be fueled by either plutonium-239 or uranium-235.
  • Fission bomb: The broader technical category for weapons that use nuclear fission, encompassing both uranium and plutonium types.
  • Implosion device: A descriptive term for the specific mechanism used to detonate a plutonium bomb.
Synonyms
  • Fission weapon
  • Atomic bomb (when context specifies plutonium core)
  • A-bomb (when context specifies plutonium core)
Related Phrases
  • Nuclear fission: The physical process that powers a plutonium bomb.
  • Critical mass: The minimum amount of plutonium-239 required to sustain a fission chain reaction, a key concept in its design.
Noun
  1. a nuclear weapon in which enormous energy is released by nuclear fission (splitting the nuclei of a heavy element like uranium 235 or plutonium 239)

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