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Nuclear Weapons
This category is for questions about weapons that use nuclear fission or fusion to gain explosive power.
3,869 Questions
I suggest reading Richard Rhodes books: The Making of the Atomic Bomb and Dark Sun.
Wikipedia also contains good explanations.
There are a number of different types that operate by different principles:
- Fission: splitting large unstable atoms into smaller ones with neutron chain reaction.
- Gun design, always uses Uranium, fires a bullet and target together with cordite down a cannon barrel to assemble a supercritical mass followed by a pulse of neutrons to start the chain reaction.
- Implosion design, can use Plutonium, Uranium, or a composite of both, shaped charge high explosives crush this core to assemble a supercritical mass followed by a pulse of neutrons to start the chain reaction.
- Fusion: joining small atoms into larger ones at high temperature and pressure. Note that pure fusion bombs (with no fission component at all have never been built).
- Mixed Fission-Fusion: most modern bombs use some mixture of the reactions to optimize the weapon for the mission, the delivery vehicle, and production costs.
- Fusion boosted low yield tactical fission weapon. These use a small amount of tritium gas inside the fission core to boost efficiency of a tiny low yield core with extra neutrons from the tritium fusion.
- Multi-stage high yield fusion weapons. These even raise yield by fissioning the normally nonfissionable Uranium-238 isotope with high energy fusion neutrons.
- etc.
Who thought of the idea to build an atomic bomb?
Einstein has some credit in the development of the nuclear bomb, but never thought of it himself... I believe it was Hitler who first thought of the atomic bomb. The Germans were working on a way to harness the energy from a split atom. Einstein sent the US president a letter, telling him of the power such a weapon could have, and the Germans were working on splitting atoms. That brought about the Manhattan Project.
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The Einstein letter to FDR was actually entirely written by Leo Szilard, all Einstein did was sign it.
The writer H.G. Wells had imagined them and wrote about them in his 1914 novel "The World Set Free", but this was just SciFi.
Leo Szilard was the first to actually invent the process that makes the atomic bomb work (neutron chain reaction) in 1933 while in London and patented this on June 28, 1934.
A team of German scientists working in Germany and Sweden discovered fission in uranium-235 in 1939 and after the publication of their paper, Germany blocked further publication of the results of all research in nuclear physics.
By the time the Manhattan Project became fully active, Germany had already decided to scale back their nuclear project to just basic reactor research with the single goal of building power reactors after Germany won the war. They considered a bomb impractical in the time estimated to win the war by conventional means, even if it was possible (and Heisenberg's calculations suggested such a bomb would be too large for any available aircraft to deliver).
To Hitler the idea of an Atomic Bomb sounded like Jewish Physics, and thus nonsense. Hitler knew nothing of physics, nuclear or otherwise, and the teaching of Einstein's theories of relativity were already banned in Nazi Germany simply because Einstein was a Jew (implicitly making it Jewish Physics) regardless of any experimental evidence confirming the theories.
How did Albert Einstein come up with the idea of the atom bomb?
Although the underlying theory of the atomic bomb workings draws loosely from Einstein's ideas on mass to energy conversion (the famous equation E=Mc2), he did not himself invent the atomic bomb neither did he himself discover fission. Leo Szilard invented the neutron chain reaction that makes both bombs and reactors possible, but Einstein knew nothing of this as the British kept the patent classified from 1936 until 1949. Einstein was an absolute pacifist and refused to participate in any type of war related work.
Before WWII Szilard wrote a letter and had Einstein sign it (as if he had written it) to warn President Roosevelt that Germany was likely working toward the development of an atomic bomb. Shortly after this the US started a project to beat the Germans to the development of this weapon.
The atomic bomb was the product of cooperation of many scientists and engineers participating in the Manhattan project. Chief among the people who unleashed the power of the atom was Robert Oppenheimer, who oversaw the project from conception to completion.
Enrichment of the U-235 from U-238 was conducted at Oakridge Tennessee. Harold Urey and his team at Columbia University devised an extraction system using the principle of gaseous diffusion.
Production reactors to make Pu-239 were built and operated at Hanford Washington.
Bomb casing development was done at Wendover Utah and in southern California.
Production of different parts was contracted out to several dozen companies. Often as the companies were not given information on the things their part attached to (for secrecy) things did not fit right and had to be reworked in the field. For example wartime MK-III Fat Man bombs were virtually custom built with no interchangeable parts. Even the Plutonium core of one bomb would not fit in the pit of others.
What radius of land was affected by nuclear fallout after the attack at Hiroshima?
The affected radius of land from nuclear fallout after the Hiroshima bombing was roughly 10 km (6.2 miles) from ground zero. This area suffered substantial damage and contamination from the blast and radiation.
A nuclear bomb is far more destructive than any previous type of weapon, and it can be used to kill thousands, hundreds of thousands, or even millions of people all at once, depending upon the size of the bomb and the location where it is dropped (the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki killed hundreds of thousands of people). The moral basis of existence would seem to be a respect for our fellow human beings and for their lives. To kill people in such wholesale quantities, and so indiscriminately, shows a lack of respect for human life. Normally, we try to be very careful about killing people. Even in times of war, we normally try to kill only enemy soldiers or enemy insurgents, and not to kill civilians who are not involved in the fighting. A nuclear bomb just kills everyone in a given area, including babies, and others who have no involvement in whatever conflict has motivated the bombing. Human life becomes very cheap in such circumstances. Life become irrelevant, meaningless. People are of no more importance than ants, and can be snuffed out as easily, when you are dealing with nuclear war. This would appear to be an immoral attitude. One can also argue that there are some circumstances which would justify the use of nucear weapons - a good case can be made for the use of atomic bombs in WW II. Nonetheless, there are serious moral issues involved in killing so many people, by means of a weapon of mass destruction.
The psychological effects of nuclear weapons would require a formal style of writing due to its serious and complex nature. It would involve in-depth research, analysis, and an objective presentation of findings. On the other hand, personal weight loss or preferences in living environments may not necessarily warrant a formal style, as they could be presented in a more casual or narrative tone depending on the context and audience.
Are nuclear weapons good or bad?
Nuclear weapons are generally considered bad due to their immense destructive power and potential to cause catastrophic harm to humanity and the environment. They can lead to devastating consequences if misused, and the risk of accidental or intentional nuclear conflict remains a significant global concern.
What laws are there about nuclear weapons?
Nuclear weapons are governed by international agreements such as the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), which aims to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. Additionally, there are regional and bilateral agreements that regulate the use and possession of nuclear weapons among specific countries. Some countries also have domestic laws pertaining to nuclear weapons possession and testing.
Is there a law that forbids the use of nuclear weapons?
There is no universal law that explicitly forbids the use of nuclear weapons. However, the use of nuclear weapons is regulated under international law, including the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and customary international law that limit their use to self-defense in extreme circumstances.
Was an atomic bomb the same as being in the nuclear age?
No, they are not the same. The atomic bomb was a specific weapon developed during World War II, while the nuclear age refers to the period starting from when nuclear technology and weapons became a significant part of global affairs, which continued past the use of the atomic bomb.
How do you tie a rock to a stick?
To tie a rock to a stick, you can use a strong rope or cord. Wrap the rope around the rock and stick multiple times, then tie it securely in place with a knot. Make sure the knot is tight to ensure the rock stays attached securely to the stick.
b. The psychological effects of nuclear weapons would lend itself only to a formal style of writing, given the serious and scientific nature of the topic. Folk songs, weight loss, and living in the countryside could be approached in a more casual or informal style of writing.
Anyone who may need to know which of the following topics would lend itself only to a formal style of writing folk songs would need to provide information on what the following options are. Not knowing the options does not allow a person to know what the answer is.
How many nuclear warheads does Israel possess?
Anywhere between 75 and 200 nuclear weapons.
I have read an upper estimate of 400. I would be surprised if it were much less than this, unless some are stored partially dismantled.
When pakistan became a nuclear weapon state?
On May 28, 1998, Pakistan became a nuclear power when it successfully carried out five nuclear tests at Chaghai, in the province of Baluchistan. This was in direct response to five nuclear explosions by India, just two weeks earlier.
Widely criticized by the international community, Pakistan maintains that its nuclear program is for selfdefence, as deterrence against nuclear India. A former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, offered justification for Pakistan's nuclear program when he said that if India were to produce a bomb, Pakistan would do anything it could to get one of its own. It has always been maintained by Pakistan that a nuclear threat posed to its security can neither be met with conventional means of defense, nor by external security guarantees.
Which of these design elements does US Today use more heavily than most other newspapers?
charts and graphs
How big is the largest nuclear bomb?
The largest nuclear bomb ever detonated was the Soviet Union's Tsar Bomba in 1961, which had a yield of 50 megatons. It was the most powerful nuclear weapon ever created and tested.
Well they can eat nuked food in the microwave but not the kind of nuclear bomb. To nuke something means to cook food in the microwave.
What were the importance of 1949 nuclear weapons?
The development and deployment of nuclear weapons in 1949 marked a significant shift in global security dynamics. It led to the start of the nuclear arms race and heightened tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War. The possession of nuclear weapons also brought immense destructive power, raising concerns about the potential for global annihilation and the need for arms control agreements. Overall, it fundamentally altered the calculus of warfare and international relations.
What was the codename used for testing the first nuclear weapon in history on July 16 1945?
The test was codenamed Trinity, the bomb was codenamed Gadget.
When Did India get Nuclear weapons?
India conducted its first nuclear weapons test, codenamed "Smiling Buddha," on May 18, 1974. This made India the first country outside of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council to possess nuclear weapons.
Has any country ever used a nuclear bomb?
Yes, two nuclear bombs were used in warfare during World War II. The United States dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. It remains the only time nuclear weapons have been used in warfare to date.
How did nuclear weapons change history?
Nuclear weapons fundamentally altered the geopolitical landscape by creating a new paradigm of mutually assured destruction (MAD). The threat of massive, indiscriminate destruction led to a heightened focus on diplomacy and disarmament, as the Cold War standoff between the United States and Soviet Union demonstrated. Additionally, the existence of nuclear weapons increased the urgency of non-proliferation efforts, with countries striving to prevent the spread of these weapons to ensure global security.
