atomic bomb definition history

atomic bomb definition history

He becomes “Atomic Man,” a human atomic bomb, and proclaims, “I could use my power to crush every evil influence in the world” (Szasz 52). At the point at which one of the neutrons produced by a fission will on average create another fission, critical mass has been achieved, and a chain reaction and thus an atomic explosion will result. Have you ever wondered about these lines? Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. The United States remains the only nation to have ever used nuclear weapons, and has never again resorted to them, despite subsequent wars. The Atomic Bomb was developed during WW2 by scientists working on the top secret Manhattan Project. There, he found his coworkers Akira Iwanaga and Kuniyoshi Sato, both of whom had survived the blast. Atomic bomb, also called atom bomb, weapon with great explosive power that results from the sudden release of energy upon the splitting, or fission, of the nuclei of a heavy element such as plutonium or uranium. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Plutonium-239 has these same qualities. The detonation also immediately produces a strong shock wave that propagates outward from the blast to distances of several miles, gradually losing its force along the way. The first test of the atomic bomb took place on July 16 th, 1945 in New Mexico. These are the primary fissionable materials used in atomic bombs. An important aid in achieving criticality is the use of a tamper; this is a jacket of beryllium oxide or some other substance surrounding the fissionable material and reflecting some of the escaping neutrons back into the fissionable material, where they can thus cause more fissions. Fission occurs when a neutron strikes the nucleus of either isotope, splitting the nucleus into fragments and releasing a tremendous amount of energy. A nuclear weapon (also called an atom bomb, nuke, atomic bomb, nuclear warhead, A-bomb, or nuclear bomb) is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission (fission bomb) or from a combination of fission and fusion reactions (thermonuclear bomb). Define atomic bomb. Atomic Diplomacy. Nagasaki definition, a seaport on W Kyushu, in SW Japan: second military use of the atomic bomb August 9, 1945. The two bombings killed between 129,000 and 226,000 people, most of whom were civilians, and remain the only use of nuclear weapons in armed conflict. When a neutron strikes the nucleus of an atom of the isotopes uranium-235 or plutonium-239, it causes that nucleus to split into two fragments, each of which is a nucleus with about half the protons and neutrons of the original nucleus. Such a blast wave can destroy buildings for several miles from the location of the burst. Information and translations of atomic bomb in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web. Get exclusive access to content from our 1768 First Edition with your subscription. During World War II, the United States, Germany, the Soviet Union, and Great Britain were researching designs of an atomic bomb for use as the “ultimate weapon.” By 1945, however, only the United States developed a working bomb. The radioactive contaminants include such long-lived radioisotopes as strontium-90 and plutonium-239; even limited exposure to the fallout in the first few weeks after the explosion may be lethal, and any exposure increases the risk of developing cancer. This can be practically achieved by using high explosives to shoot two subcritical slugs of fissionable material together in a hollow tube. When President Harry Truman heard of the bomb's success he wrote "We have discovered the most terrible bomb in the history of the world". An atomic bomb gains its destructive force from a nuclear reaction, essentially the release of mass energy from small amounts of matter. If more uranium-235 is added to the assemblage, the chances that one of the released neutrons will cause another fission are increased, since the escaping neutrons must traverse more uranium nuclei and the chances are greater that one of them will bump into another nucleus and split it. Convection currents created by the explosion suck dust and other ground materials up into the fireball, creating the characteristic mushroom-shaped cloud of an atomic explosion. Atomic bombs are made up of a fissile element, such as uranium, that is enriched in the isotope that can sustain a fission nuclear chain reaction. 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