what is a atomic bomb?

Answer 1

The Atomic Bomb is defined as a "powerful explosive nuclear weapon fueled by the splitting, or fission, of the nuclei of specific isotopes of uranium or plutonium in a chain reaction." An atomic explosion has a strength equal to that created by thousands of tons of TNT. or Trinitroluene.

The function of an atomic bomb is to provide enough mass of plutonium or uranium to reach what is called " critical mass," where nuclear reactions going on inside the material can make up for the neutrons leaving the material through its outside surface. The two elements of plutonium or uranium in a bomb are usually separated into parts in order for the critical mass not to be reached until the bomb is ready. Once that point has been reached, any kind of mechanism or chemical explosive will drive all of the separated uranium and plutonium together to reach that "critical mass." It is then that there are sufficient amounts of neutrons bouncing inside to create a chain reaction of fission; collisions between neutrons and the atoms of uranium and plutonium cause the atoms to split into pairs of nuclear fragments releasing energy and more neutrons. The newly released neutrons hit other atoms, continuing many more fission reactions until the "fissile" material is too exhausted or scattered and cannot continue. The intense explosion is a release of enormous amounts of energy in the form of heat and a massive shockwave. The damage occurred is almost unimaginable, with pressure waves, flash burns, high winds, and a deadly radiation in the form of gamma rays and neutrons. Living matter is destroyed, and soil and water are contaminated also.

It is important to note that atomic bombs were the first of any nuclear weapons to be tested and used. In the late 1930's, American and European physicists realized the power that could be created by the fission of uranium, having the potential to be an extremely powerful explosive weapon. Albert Einstein sent a letter of warning in 1939 to the U.S. president at the time, Franklin D. Roosevelt, describing his discovery and concern of its possibility of development in other countries. The U.S. government set up a top secret project, the Manhattan Project, to develop and test the first atomic bombs. The Manhattan Project was led by Army Brigadier General Leslie R. Groves, to conduct tests by working teams in different locations. Most of the work took place in Los Alamos, New Mexico, under the direction of J. Robert Oppenheimer, an American physicist. Their first test would be at Alamogordo, New Mexico, on July 16, 1945.

WWII presented the United States with an opportunity to use this new creation. On August 6, 1945, less than a month after its first testing, an atomic bomb nicknamed the "Little Boy" was dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. "Little Boy" killed as many as 100,000 people that day. Following Hiroshima, a second bomb called "Fat Man" was dropped on Nagasaki, Japan, three days later on August 9th. It killed about 40,000 more people. With these fatal destructions, Japan surrendered to the U.S. on August 14th. Those were the only times since that any nuclear weapons had been used in a conflict between nations.

Answer 2

An atomic bomb makes use of a straightforward explosive to set off the reaction. A thermonuke makes use of an atomic bomb for a set off. An atomic bomb splits atoms. A thermonuke fuses them. A thermonuke is 1000's of cases extra effectual.

Answer 3

A atomic bomb is a bomb of the variety dropped on Nagasaki and Hiroshima back in the 40's. They are now obsolete; we have much better ways of blowing up stuff now. Still, they activated by splitting an atom and using the resulting surge of energy as an explosion, as opposed to nuclear power plants, who also split atoms but use the power as electricity.

Answer 4

A nuclear weapon derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions of fusion or fission. As a result, even a nuclear weapon with a small yield is significantly more powerful than the largest conventional explosives, and a single weapon is capable of destroying an entire city.

In the history of warfare, two nuclear weapons have been detonated — both by the United States, during the closing days of World War II. The first event occurred on the morning of 6 August 1945, when the United States dropped a uranium gun-type device code-named "Little Boy" on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. The second event occurred three days later when, again, the United States dropped a plutonium implosion-type device code-named "Fat Man" on the city of Nagasaki. These bombings resulted in the immediate deaths of around 120,000 people and even more over time because of injuries sustained and long-term radiation. The use of these weapons was and remains controversial. (See Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki for a full discussion).

Since the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, nuclear weapons have been detonated on over two thousand occasions for testing and demonstration purposes. The only countries known to have detonated such weapons are (chronologically) the United States, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, France, the People's Republic of China, India, Pakistan, and North Korea.

Various other countries may hold nuclear weapons but have never publicly admitted possession, or their claims to possession have not been verified. For example, Israel has modern airborne delivery systems and appears to have an extensive nuclear program with hundreds of warheads (see Israel and weapons of mass destruction), though it officially maintains a policy of "ambiguity" with respect to its actual possession of nuclear weapons. According to some estimates, it possesses as many as 200 nuclear warheads. Iran currently stands accused by the United Nations of attempting to develop nuclear capabilities, though its government claims that its acknowledged nuclear activities, such as uranium enrichment, are for peaceful purposes. South Africa also secretly developed a small nuclear arsenal, but disassembled it in the early 1990s (For more information see List of states with nuclear weapons).

Apart from their use as weapons, nuclear explosives have been tested and used for various non-military uses. Synthetic elements, such as Einsteinium and Fermium, created by neutron bombardment of uranium and plutonium during thermonuclear explosions, were discovered in the aftermath of the first hydrogen bomb test.

Regards Exorcist

Answer 5

A nuclear holocaust.

Answer 6

its the mother of all bombs.

Answer 7

....the practical application of E=MC2