Question

How much mass is converted to energy in a Hydrogen bomb?

Answer 1

Explanation:

1. A thermonuclear weapon also called a fusion weapon or a hydrogen bomb (H bomb), is a second-generation nuclear weapon.
2. It has far more devastating power than first-generation atomic bombs due to its superior sophistication.
3. Note that the reaction that takes place in a hydrogen bomb is as : $4_1{H}^1{\to }_{2}H{e}^4+2_1{e}^0$
4. We deduce from the aforementioned mechanism that four hydrogen atoms combine to create a single helium molecule. Since we are aware, hydrogen has an atomic mass of $H=1.007824u$.
5. The atomic mass of helium $He=4.002602u$
6. Therefore the mass difference$\left(∆m\right)$ between the reactants hydrogen atoms and helium, the formula for $∆m=4\times Atomicmassof\left(H\right)-Atomicmassof\left(He\right)$, therefore,

$$\begin{gathered} ∆m=4\left(1.007824\right)-4.002602 \\ ∆m=4.031296-4.002602 \\ ∆m=0.028694u \end{gathered}$$

Therefore,$0.028694u$ mass is converted into energy in a hydrogen bomb.