Atomic Bomb Information
By: Clayton Oller and Vince Eller
World War II Atomic Bombs
- Hiroshima (August 6, 1945)- killed 80,000 people and 90% of city destroyed
- Nagasaki (August 9, 1945)- 40,000 people are killed
Manhattan Project
First successful test held at the Trinity Test Site in Alamogordo, New Mexico on July 6, 1945.
Pro's and Con's of Bombs
Japan surrenders as a result of the dropping of the bombs
United States gains strength over countries
Soldiers in America are saved
Made other countries make peace instead of war
Con's:
Other countries begin making nuclear weapons
Innocent casualties occurred
Millions of dollars spent improving nuclear weapons
Wall was built dividing nations and people
Leading Scientist and Chemistry Behind It
Chemistry Behind the Bombs:
Uranium, a fissile element, is usually used in making atomic bombs. This is added to an isotope that assists in a fission chain of nuclear reaction. Whenever a neutron that is free hits a nucleus from a fissile atom it splits into two small atoms and these are called fission fragments. This process causes chain reactions. A piece of a “sub-critical material” is shot into another or when the sphere material is compressed by the use of chemical explosives t “many times its original density” which is the more sophisticated way, but can only be used if the fissile material is Plutonium
Differences Between the Bombs
Simple design
Had a gun-barrel shape
Was not tested
Nagasaki or "Fat Man":
Complex design
Plutonium-329 was used in a 10 foot bomb
Set off a chain reaction