Physics question on atomic bombs?

Question

Does anyone what an atom bomb consists of, like a url or a list of materials.I am supposed to make one for a school project....as in like a mini-model of one
I only know one of the major components is uranium.
and also what are some processes/reactions involved?
thanks!

ok thanks danny and i posted another question on people like that as well =)

Answer 1

These two sources should get you started. The second has a list of parts and tells you in detail how to assemble your own bomb. Of course you have to get the enrhiched uranium or plutonimum from somewhere and they give some suggestions about that too. I wish I had a few of those guys to.... well, nevermind about that. You might also be interested in a guy in NZ who was building a cheap cruise missile but the government came down on him hard. If I remember there are instructions on the internet for all but the navigation and control system (which used a simple GPS for guidance I think).

Answer 2

I find this question slightly off...

If you are talking about a model of the atomic bomb for the project, then I will see what you are talking about.

If you are talking about a prototype(a working model) of a minni-atom bomb, then I will have quite a few questions...
However, based on my own knowledge, this is what I CAN tell you.

If you are talking about the bomb that is fueled by uranium, then I can classify this as a fission bomb. It is triggered by what is known as nuclear fission.

Nuclear fission—also known as atomic fission—is the split of the nucleus of an atom into two or more smaller nuclei, and usually some by-product particles. Hence, fission is a form of elemental transmutation: fission changes an element into several other elements. The by-products include free neutrons, photons usually in the form of gamma rays, and other nuclear fragments such as beta particles and alpha particles. Fission of big elements is an exothermic reaction can release substantial amounts of useful energy both as gamma rays and as kinetic energy of the fragments (heating the bulk material where fission takes place).


Nuclear fission produces energy for nuclear power and to drive explosion of nuclear weapons. Fission is useful as a power source because some materials, called nuclear fuels, generate neutrons as part of the fission process and undergo triggered fission when impacted by a free neutron. Nuclear fuels can be part of a self-sustaining chain reaction that releases energy at a controlled rate in a nuclear reactor or at a very rapid uncontrolled rate in a nuclear weapon.

by the way, don't listen to "mister nice guy"
his words dont sound to nice.

Answer 3

Well, a "mini-model" isn't possible. You need a critical mass of a few pounds of uranium or plutonium. This is enough to blow up an aircraft carrier, or a small city.
By the way, I hope you don't succeed with your project. I hope you die trying.
Furthermore, since you are too lazy or too stupid to use Google, it's very likely that you will never do anything with your life. For a loser like you, this is probably a good thing.
There's little chance that you will reproduce, because women really like a man with a well-developed cerebral cortex. Your family tree comes to an end with you; this is a good thing.

Answer 4

it's a fission chain reaction. an unstable radioactive isotope is required, for instance U-235. once the first neutron is released through some sort of trigger, there's enough energy to cause the rest of the uranium to split.

Answer 5

A few different radioactive elements can be used. (e.g. plutonium).

The reaction that matters is nuclear fission.

This info should be easy to find on the web.

Say hello to the NSA for me.