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Unit 4Nuclear Weapons 1 - Technology, Materials, Testing and Monitoring
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  1. 1. Introduction
  2. 2. Basic Nuclear Physics
  3. 3. Nuclear Weapons
  4. 4. Armament and Disarmament
  5. 5. Monitoring
  6. 6. Summary
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Above: Fat Man – the first atomic bomb

Photo by W. Scott McGill | Shutterstock

Nuclear Weapons 1 - Technology, Materials, Testing and Monitoring

This learning unit examines the technical foundations of nuclear weapons, including fission and fusion processes, weapon designs, and the nuclear fuel cycle. It also explores disarmament challenges, verification methods, and the role of monitoring technologies in ensuring compliance with international non-proliferation agreements.

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Chapters

  1. 1. Introduction

  2. 2. Basic Nuclear Physics

  3. 3. Nuclear Weapons

  4. 4. Armament and Disarmament

  5. 5. Monitoring

  6. 6. Summary

Learning Objectives

After completing this learning unit, you will:

  • understand the basic physics behind nuclear weapons
  • understand the basic differences between different nuclear weapons designs
  • grasp the dual use dimension of the nuclear fuel cycle
  • know the effects of nuclear weapons
  • have an overview of global stockpiles of nuclear weapons and materials
  • understand the rationale for nuclear testing
  • comprehend the basic technical challenges of disarmament
  • understand the challenges of and technical measures used for the verification of disarmament initiatives

Credits

  • Cecilia Gustavsson profile image

    Cecilia Gustavsson

    Uppsala University

    Cecilia Gustavsson is an associate professor in Applied Nuclear physics at Uppsala University with a background in experimental nuclear physics. She is currently a member of the working group on Technical Verification and Monitoring at the Alva Myrdal Centre for Nuclear Disarmament.

  • Débora Trombetta profile image

    Débora Trombetta

    Uppsala University

    Débora Trombetta is a researcher at the Department of Applied Nuclear Physics from Uppsala University, in Sweden. Débora has a PhD in applied nuclear physics and her background is in Nuclear Nonproliferation. Débora also performed research in the area of nuclear disarmament verification under the working group on Technical Verification and Monitoring from the Alva Myrdal Centre for Nuclear Disarmament.

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Disclosures

Content Warning

This learning unit may contain audio-visual material or texts, which may not be suitable for all audiences.

Funding

This Learning Unit was produced with financial assistance from the European Union. The contents of this Learning Unit are however the sole responsibility of the author(s) and should under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union.

External Links

The site may contain hyperlink text references (’Links’) to other sites that are offered by third parties. These Links are made available solely for the purpose of information and as an additional service for users. Only the respective operator is responsible for all content and statements on linked Internet sites. Therefore, PRIF cannot guarantee the correctness and accuracy or any other aspect of third party sites.

Preferred Citation

Cecilia Gustavsson and Débora Trombetta, "Nuclear Weapons 1 - Technology, Materials, Testing and Monitoring" in EUNPDC eLearning, ed. Niklas Schörnig, Peace Research Institute Frankfurt. Available at https://eunpdc-elearning.netlify.app/lu-04/, last modified 5 May 2025

Editorial Note

This is a beta version of the learning unit, which is regularly optimised. Please report any factual errors or discrepancies to the publisher. (support(at)nonproliferation-elearning.eu). Please note that although the original text was written by the authors, the video production and simplifications were carried out by PRIF.

The EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament eLearning Course aims to cover all aspects of the EU non-proliferation and disarmament agenda. It's produced by PRIF with financial assistance of the European Union. The contents of individual learning units are the sole responsibility of the respective authors and don't necessariy reflect the position of the European Union.