“Atomic bomb.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/atomic%20bomb. The journey took them through a nightmarish landscape of still-flickering fires… a bomb whose explosive force comes from a chain reaction based on nuclear fission in U-235 or plutonium. A second method used is that of implosion, in which a core of fissionable material is suddenly compressed into a smaller size and thus a greater density; because it is denser, the nuclei are more tightly packed and the chances of an emitted neutron’s striking a nucleus are increased. Materials vaporized in the fireball condense to fine particles, and this radioactive debris, referred to as fallout, is carried by the winds in the troposphere or stratosphere. What made you want to look up atomic bomb? When completely fissioned, 1 kg (2.2 pounds) of uranium-235 releases the energy equivalently produced by 17,000 tons, or 17 kilotons, of TNT. This can be practically achieved by using high explosives to shoot two subcritical slugs of fissionable material together in a hollow tube. The detonation of an atomic bomb releases enormous amounts of thermal energy, or heat, achieving temperatures of several million degrees in the exploding bomb itself. The effort led to the invention of atomic bombs, including the two that were dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing or injuring over 200,000 people. Building on scientific breakthroughs made during the 1930s, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and free France collaborated during World War II, in what was called the Manhattan Project, to build a fission weapon, also known as an atomic bomb. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'atomic bomb.' 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. Nagasaki definition, a seaport on W Kyushu, in SW Japan: second military use of the atomic bomb August 9, 1945. This bomb would change the world and could cause mass destruction and death. atomic bomb synonyms, atomic bomb pronunciation, atomic bomb translation, English dictionary definition of atomic bomb. Send us feedback. Atomic bombs are classified as Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), a special category of weaponry considered by much of the civilized world to be especially cruel and inhumane, because of the sheer number of deaths they can cause, because they … The “Father of the Atomic Bomb” died from cancer at the age of 62 in Princeton, New Jersey in 1967. Early Life and Education Oppenheimer was born on … See more. The three most common fission bomb designs, which vary considerably in material and arrangement. Information and translations of atomic bomb in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web. Teacher Notes. 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. Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free! Delivered to your inbox! The fission process becomes self-sustaining as neutrons produced by the splitting of atom strike nearby nuclei and produce more fission. 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). 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 weapons are commonly referred to … Large quantities of neutrons and gamma rays are also emitted; this lethal radiation decreases rapidly over 1.5 to 3 km (1 to 2 miles) from the burst. The United States then used atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan on August 6 and 9, respectively, killing about 210,000 people. 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 … 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. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Updates? A small nuclear bomb is capable of devastating an entire city with its blast, its fire, and the radiation caused by the blast. Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible). Fission occurs when a neutron strikes the nucleus of either isotope, splitting the nucleus into fragments and releasing a tremendous amount of energy. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. In addition, “boosted fission” devices incorporate such fusionable materials as deuterium or tritium into the fission core. Summary and Definition: The Atomic Bomb is a nuclear weapon that suddenly releases the energy in the nucleus of certain types of atoms in the form of a nuclear explosion that has the power to destroy a city and kill every person in it. Discover more about the first atomic bombs tested and used during World War II The first atomic bomb was detonated on July 16, 1945, in New Mexico as part of the U.S. government program called the Manhattan Project. Nuclear weapon, device designed to release energy in an explosive manner as a result of nuclear fission, nuclear fusion, or a combination of the two processes. The decision to employ atomic weapons against Japan remains a controversial chapter in American history. The mushroom cloud of the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki, Japan on August 9, 1945, rose over 18 kilometres (11 mi) above the bomb's hypocenter. n. ... A hole in history: America suppresses the truth about Hiroshima. Uranium was discovered in 1789 by Martin Klaproth, a German chemist, and named after the planet Uranus. This is known as a chai… Such a blast wave can destroy buildings for several miles from the location of the burst. The first atomic bomb was detonated on July 16, 1945, in New Mexico as part of the U.S. government program called the Manhattan Project. The harmful effects of radiation from nuclear bombing. What does atomic bomb mean? An atomic bomb gains its destructive force from a nuclear reaction, essentially the release of mass energy from small amounts of matter. Yamaguchi wandered in a daze toward what remained of the Mitsubishi shipyard. Nuclear weapons possess enormous destructive power from nuclear fission or combined fission and fusion reactions. The core of an implosion-type atomic bomb consists of a sphere or a series of concentric shells of fissionable material surrounded by a jacket of high explosives, which, being simultaneously detonated, implode the fissionable material under enormous pressures into a denser mass that immediately achieves criticality. 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. Get exclusive access to content from our 1768 First Edition with your subscription. Definition of atomic bomb in the Definitions.net dictionary. In the process of splitting, a great amount of thermal energy, as well as gamma rays and two or more neutrons, is released. Some are talking about making the political decision to walk out of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and manufacture an, In the West, Fakhrizadeh was commonly referred to as Iran's Robert Oppenheimer, the American scientist who helped develop the, The Trump administration has compared Operation Warp Speed's program to the notoriously secret government project to make the first, Fakhrizadeh, who was around sixty and had a graying beard, and also a bit of a paunch, has often been compared to J. Robert Oppenheimer, the father of America’s, But analysts have said Fakhrizadeh is on par with Robert Oppenheimer, the scientist who led the Manhattan Project to develop the, Fakhrizadeh has long been suspected by the West of having masterminded a covert, Post the Definition of atomic bomb to Facebook, Share the Definition of atomic bomb on Twitter. He went on to demonstrate that this was due to beta radiation (electrons) and alpha particles (helium nuclei) bei… German scientists almost developed the first nuclear weapon, but the United States achieved it first. Ionising radiation was discovered by Wilhelm Rontgen in 1895, by passing an electric current through an evacuated glass tube and producing continuous X-rays. 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 Manhattan Project developed two types of nuclear bombs, although history of the atomic bomb precedes 1945. The first test of the atomic bomb took place on July 16 th, 1945 in New Mexico. Even before the new President Harry S. Truman finalized his decision to use the bombs, members of the President’s inner circle grappled with the specifics of … When a free neutron hits the nucleus of a fissile atom like uranium-235 ( 235 U), the uranium splits into two smaller … Meaning of atomic bomb. A gigantic mushroom cloud rising above Hiroshima, Japan, on August 6, 1945, after a U.S. aircraft dropped an atomic bomb on the city, immediately killing more than 70,000 people. 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. The story of the atomic bomb started around the turn of the century when a small number of physicists began to think about, discuss, and publish papers about the phenomenon of radioactivity, the behavior of alpha particles, and the properties of various materials when irradiated. President Truman authorized their use to force Japan's surrender during World War II. See the full definition for atomic bomb in the English Language Learners Dictionary, Nglish: Translation of atomic bomb for Spanish Speakers, Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about atomic bomb. However, the first nuclear bombs were much simpler than today’s bombs, which use multiple steps to produce their large explosions. An atomic bomb is a weapon that gets its power from either splitting apart atomic nuclei (fission) or from forcing them together (fusion). On August 6, 1945, during World War II (1939-45), an American B-29 bomber dropped the world’s first deployed atomic bomb over the Japanese city of … Define atomic bomb. Meanwhile, as more and more planes were shot down, both sides began adopting a policy of night raids, which, while less accurate, were safer for bomb crews. 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. The isotopes uranium-235 and plutonium-239 were selected by the atomic scientists because they readily undergo fission. This series of rapidly multiplying fissions culminates in a chain reaction in which nearly all the fissionable material is consumed, in the process generating the explosion of what is known as an atomic bomb. On August 6, 1945, the United States exploded an atomic bomb over the Japanese city of Hiroshima. The most-significant episode of strategic bombing during World War II was the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. The first atomic bombs were used in August of 1945. Sequence of events in the fission of a uranium nucleus by a neutron. Learn a new word every day. In November/December 1945, Headline Comics created a series centered around Adam Mann, who accidentally ingests heavy water with U-235 in it. The first atomic bomb test, near Alamogordo, New Mexico, July 16, 1945. The atomic bomb also emerged in comic books. Then in 1896 Henri Becquerel found that pitchblende (an ore containing radium and uranium) caused a photographic plate to darken. After spending a restless night in an air raid shelter, the men awoke on August 7 and made their way toward the train station, which they had heard was somehow still operating. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. He's making a quiz, and checking it twice... 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