B83 nuclear bomb

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/b83-nuclear-bomb

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the designation?B83
2. What is the weapon class?Thermonuclear gravity bomb
3. What is the B83 bomb?The B83 is a very powerful nuclear bomb made by the United States. It uses both fission and fusion to create a huge explosion, and it can be made stronger or weaker depending on the mission.
4. How powerful is the B83 compared to other bombs?The B83 can produce up to 1.2 megatonnes of TNT, which is the most powerful bomb in the U.S. arsenal after the older B53 was retired in 2011.

Thermonuclear Weapon: A nuclear weapon that utilizes both fission and fusion reactions to achieve a significantly higher explosive yield than fission-only devices.
Variable Yield: The capability of a nuclear weapon to have its explosive output adjusted to different levels for various tactical or strategic purposes.
Nuclear Deterrence: A military strategy where the threat of using nuclear weapons is used to deter an adversary from attacking or engaging in hostile actions.
Strategic Bomber: A large, long-range aircraft designed to carry nuclear weapons or other heavy payloads for strategic bombing missions.