The nuclear bomb

The nuclear bomb

In 1938 Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassmann made the first nuclear fission with uranium.

With this they laid the foundations for the nuclear bomb.

The development went forward very fast and so the USA finally carried out the

"Manhatten Project":

In New Mexico they built a town for 6000 inhabitants:Los Alamos. There they produced the plutonium for the bombs.

Finally, in the night between 15^th and 16^th of July 1945 the first nuclear bomb was tested in the desert of New Mexico.

The bomb was developed for use against Germany but when they finished the bomb, the war with Germany was already over and so the USA dropped the bombs on Japan.

On  6^th august 1945 at 8.15am a uranium-bomb was dropped on Hiroshima:

It was a 14000t bomb and it exploded 650m over the towncentre of Hiroshima.

130 000 peolple died immediately by pressure and heat. 70 000 people died later by radiation and because of their burns.  3 days later a second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki.

After that Japan capitulated.

During the cold war the developing of nuclear weapons went forward with big steps.

Rockets with nuclear warheads were developed and today there are rockets with up to three warheads. Each warhead has an explosive force of 20Mt.

With the nuclear weapons which we have today everything all over the world could be destroyed 12 times.

Test-areas of nuclear bombs:

USA:        Nevada, New Mexico, Bikini Atoll

Russia:      Sibiria

France:      Mururoa Atoll

The H-bomb:

A hydrogen-bomb is based on nuclear fussion.

This type of bomb needs a "normal" nuclear bomb to begin the fussion-process

(because a temperature of 15 million degrees is needed).

An H-bomb leaves no radiation but the explosive force is many times bigger than that of a uranium- or plutonium bomb.

The Udssr tested a H-bomb in the atmosphere and the shockwave went around the earth 3 times !!

Vocabulary:

explosive force           Explosionskraft

H-bomb                      Wasserstoffbombe

nuclear bomb              Atombombe

nuclear fission Kernspaltung

nuclear fussion Kernverschmelzung

second-degree-burn Verbrennung zweiten Grades

shockwave Druckwelle

vaporize verdampfen

warhead Sprengkopf

© T_M 1998

20 Megatons nuclear-bomb:    

The bomb is dropped on Bregenz

How to build an nuclear-bomb (10 MEGATONNS)

1.INTRODUCTION

Worldwide controversy has been generated recently from several court decisions in the United States which have restricted popular magazines from printing articles which describe how to make an atomic bomb. The reason usually given by the courts is that national security would be compromised if such information were generally available. But, since it is commonly known that all of the information is publicly available in most major metropolitan libraries, obviously the court's officially stated position is covering up a more important factor; namely, that such atomic devices would prove too difficult for the average citizen to construct. The United States courts cannot afford to insult the vast majorities by insinuating that they do not have the intelligence of a cabbage, and thus the 'official' press releases claim national security as a blanket restriction.

The rumors that have unfortunately occurred as a result of widespread misinformation

can (and must) be cleared up now, for the construction project this month is the

construction of a thermonuclear device, which will hopefully clear up any sconceptions

you might have about such a project. We will see how easy it is to make a device of

your very own in ten easy steps, to have and hold as you see fit, without annoying

interference from the government or the courts.

The project will cost between $5,000 and $30,000, depending on how fancy you want

the final product to be. Since last week's column, 'Let's Make a Time Machine', was

received so well in the new step-by-step format, this month's column will follow the

same format.

2.CONSTRUCTION METHOD

1.First, obtain about 50 pounds (110 kg) of weapons grade Plutonium at your local

supplier (see NOTE 1). A nuclear power plant is not recommended, as large

quantities of missing Plutonium tends to make plant engineers unhappy. We

suggest that you contact your local terrorist organization, or perhaps the Junior

Achievement in your neighborhood.

2.Please remember that Plutonium, especially pure, refined Plutonium, is somewhat

dangerous. Wash your hands with soap and warm water after handling the

material, and don't allow your children or pets to play in it or eat it. Any left over

Plutonium dust is excellent as an insect repellant. You may wish to keep the

substance in a lead box if you can find one in your local junk yard, but an old

coffee can will do nicely.

3.Fashion together a metal enclosure to house the device. Most common varieties

of sheet metal can be bent to disguise this enclosure as, for example, a briefcase,

a lunch pail, or a Buick. Do not use tinfoil.

4.Arrange the Plutonium into two hemispheral shapes, separated by about 4 cm.

Use rubber cement to hold the Plutonium dust together.

5.Now get about 100 pounds (220 kg) of trinitrotoluene (TNT). Gelignite is much

better, but messier to work with. Your helpful hardware man will be happy to

provide you with this item.

6.Pack the TNT around the hemisphere arrangement constructed in step 4. If you

cannot find Gelignite, fell free to use TNT packed in with Playdo or any modeling

clay. Colored clay is acceptable, but there is no need to get fancy at this point.

7.Enclose the structure from step 6 into the enclosure made in step 3. Use a strong

glue such as 'Crazy Glue' to bind the hemisphere arrangement against the

enclosure to prevent accidental detonation which might result from vibration or

mishandling.

8.To detonate the device, obtain a radio controlled (RC) servo mechanism, as

found in RC model airplanes and cars. With a modicum of effort, a remote

plunger can be made that will strike a detonator cap to effect a small explosion.

These detonatior caps can be found in the electrical supply section of your local

supermarket. We recommend the 'Blast-O-Mactic' brand because they are no

deposit-no return.

9.Now hide the completed device from the neighbors and children. The garage is

not recommended because of high humidity and the extreme range of

temperatures experienced there. Nuclear devices have been known to

spontaneously detonate in these unstable conditions. The hall closet or under the

kitchen sink will be perfectly suitable.

10.Now you are the proud owner of a working thermonuclear device! It is a great

ice-breaker at parties, and in a pinch, can be used for national defense.

3.THEORY OF OPERATION

The device basically works when the detonated TNT compresses the Plutonium into a

critical mass. The critical mass then produces a nuclear chain recation similar to the

domino chain reaction (discussed in this column, 'Dominos on the March', March,

1968). The chain reaction then promptly produces a big thermonuclear reaction. And

there you have it, a 10 megaton explosion!

4.NEXT MONTH'S COLUMN

In next month's column, we will learn how to clone your neighbor's wife in six easy

steps. This project promises to be an exciting weekend full of fun and profit. Common

kitchen utensils will be all you need. See you next month!

5.NOTES

1. Plutonium (PU), atomic number 94, is a radioactive metallic element formed by the

decay of Neptunium and is similar in chemical structure to Uranium, Saturium,

Jupiternium, and Marisum.

6.PREVIOUS MONTH'S COLUMNS

1.Let's Make Test Tube Babies! May, 1979

2.Let's Make a Solar System! June, 1979

3.Let's Make an Economic Recession! July, 1979

4.Let's Make an Anti-Gravity Machine! August, 1979

5.Let's Make Contact with an Alien Race! September, 1979