86
9 How Nuclear Weapons Work
at the start of the fission process adds so much heat to the weapon that it vaporizes,
expands, and becomes too diffuse to sustain a chain reaction before more than a
fraction of the uranium is fissioned. This release of energy also creates a shock wave
that travels through the atmosphere, damaging buildings and people in the manner
described in Chap. 7. This, and other physical effects, will be discussed in greater
detail in the following chapter (Fig. 9.1).
Fig. 9.1 Extent of damage caused by a 10 kT nuclear weapon in a notional urban environment [11]
9 How Nuclear Weapons Work
at the start of the fission process adds so much heat to the weapon that it vaporizes,
expands, and becomes too diffuse to sustain a chain reaction before more than a
fraction of the uranium is fissioned. This release of energy also creates a shock wave
that travels through the atmosphere, damaging buildings and people in the manner
described in Chap. 7. This, and other physical effects, will be discussed in greater
detail in the following chapter (Fig. 9.1).
Fig. 9.1 Extent of damage caused by a 10 kT nuclear weapon in a notional urban environment [11]