Atomic and Nuclear energy - the difference?

[pitstopbunny]

What is the difference between Atomic and Nuclear? My sister asked me yesterday and I couldn't give her a precise answer. Also, she asked how a Nuclear bomb kills so many people, I know it is something to do with radiation, but can anyone tell me a bit more please?

[fo3nix]

Often they're interchanged by the media etc., and they're basically the same. It's just that a H-bomb works a bit differently to one from plutonium, for example.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_bomb
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_fission
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_fusion