Transcript Nuclear Weapons

Nuclear Weapons
By: Spencer Buxton- Biologist
Steven Crawford- Historian
Maddie Gray- General Supervisor
Hunter Hibler- Equipment Technician
Sam James- Biologist
Ben O’Connor- Chemist
Overview: Nuclear Weapons
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How Atomic Bombs Work
Biological Effects
History of Atomic Bombs
Countries with Nuclear Weapons
Dirty Bombs
Hydrogen Bombs vs. Atomic Bombs
Fusion
Maddie Gray
U.S. Pioneers in Nuclear
Weapons
Neils Bohr
Joseph C. Carter
Richard Feyman
Enrico Fermi
J. Robert Oppenheimer
Maddie Gray
Fission
• The whole model represents an atom of the
isotope Uranium 235.
• When bombarded by a stray neutron the
atom splits typically into 2 new elements:
– Krypton
– Barium
• Energy is released
Maddie Gray
Fusion
• The two individual pieces of clay represent the
isotopes of hydrogen involved in fusion.
• When the clay is combined together it
demonstrates the fusion.
• Helium or isotopes of helium are created as a
result, along with the release of energy.
• This is how the sun produces energy.
Maddie Gray
Atomic Bomb!
• To make a nuclear bomb
energy must first be
released from an atom.
• There are two different
ways this energy can be
obtained.
http://discover.edventures.com/images/termlib/n/nuclear_fission/suppor
t.gif
– Fission
– Fusion
Ben O’Connor
www.lancs.ac.uk/ug/hussainw/nuclear_fusion.htm
Fission
• Fission is splitting the
atoms with the use of
a neutron
• Often uses Uranium
235 or 233 for this
Ben O’Connor
Fission Bombs
• Sub critical masses- kept apart as
to prevent detonation before
desired
• Sub critical masses are then
brought together, which forms a
supercritical mass
• Helps maintain the fission
reaction by adding neutrons
• Bringing the two sub critical
masses together uses two
methods
Ben O’Connor
Fission Bomb cont.
the tamper
• The reaction is
contained in closed
confines using a tamper
(U-238)
• When the tamper heats,
it grows outward to
impede the core’s
process of expansion
• Sends neutrons back to
the core, helping
increase the efficiency of
the bomb
Ben O’Connor
Gun Triggered/ Implosion
Bombs
• Gun-triggered bombworks by first firing a
bullet of U-235 down a
barrel
• Bullet strikes and starts
the fission reaction
• After first reaction a
chain occurs
• The explosion occurs
after this series of events
Ben O’Connor
Gun Triggered/ Implosion
Bombs cont.
• Implosion-triggered
bomb- fires explosives
to start a shock wave
• Core compresses shock
wave which starts the
fission reaction
• After the fission
reaction…
• Explosion!
Ben O’Connor
Fusion bombs
• Fusion is when two
atoms are brought
together to form a
bigger one (like how the
sun gets energy)
• Uses deuterium and
tritium as the fuel
(lithium deuteride)
• Following= sequence of
events happen when a
fusion bomb goes off
Ben O’Connor
The Explosion
• Fission bomb inside of the fusion bomb implodes, which
releases x-rays
• X-rays heat the inside of the bomb
• Heat cases the tamper in the bomb to grow and expand and
makes pressure on the deuterium
• Lithium deuteride is pushed against itself “30 fold”
• Shock waves starts fission in the plutonium rods
• Fission from the rod gives off neutrons heat and radiation
which goes to the deuterium and tritium
• All this heat causes even more radiation and neutrons
• Then…….
Ben O’Connor
Ben O’Connor
Biological Effects
• Damage caused to an area depends on how far the area is from the
detonation site, known as the “hypocenter”. The closer to the hypocenter,
the more severe the damage.
• The four main factors that damage an area near the hypocenter are:
– Wave of heat
– Pressure from the shockwave of the explosion
– Radiation
– Radiation Fallout (clouds that carry radioactive material)
Spencer Buxton
How Bombs Kill
• At the exact hypocenter, EVERYTHING is destroyed by the
heat of the explosion. Temperatures from the blast can reach
up to 500 million degrees Fahrenheit.
• Moving out from the hypocenter, people are killed from burns,
injuries from debris falling off buildings that collapse from the
shockwave, and radiation exposure.
• Outside the blast zone, deaths are caused by radiation, heat,
and fires. Fallout is carried by the wind to places outside the
blast zone. Radioactive material can also enter the water
supply and be carried to places far from the explosion, causing
many casualties.
Spencer Buxton
Radiation Exposure
• If a person is exposed to a certain amount of
radioactive material, they may experience symptoms
such as:
– Vomiting
– Hair loss
– Cataracts
– Loss of blood cells
• Exposure to radiation is in most cases fatal.
Spencer Buxton
Nuclear Winter
• Scientists have proposed a new theory known as
“Nuclear Winter”
• It states that, if enough bombs detonate around the
world, multiple clouds of radioactive material would
enter the Earth’s atmosphere and block out most to
all sunlight.
• This would not only cause a drastic change in climate,
but also stop photosynthesis in plants, which would
cause a massive extinction (including humans).
Spencer Buxton
The Race for the Atomic Bomb
• In 1938, German scientists discovered uranium
fission, which meant making an atomic bomb was
becoming a reality.
• One year later, World War II began.
• The race for the atomic bomb was an extremely
important event for the future of planet Earth.
Fortunately, the United States was the first country
to develop and use the bomb, because if another
country had, then today’s world would be completely
different.
Steven Crawford
The Manhattan Project
• On December 6, 1941, President Roosevelt donated
2 million dollars towards the creation of the atomic
bomb.
• Years later, General Leslie Groves was put in charge
of the Manhattan Project, who assigned Robert
Oppenheimer to coordinate it.
• On July 16, 1945, the nuclear bomb was successfully
tested at the Trinity test site, with an explosion
equivalent to 15 kilotons tons of TNT.
Steven Crawford
The Use of the Bombs
• The uranium-based bomb called Little Boy exploded
over Hiroshima, Japan on August 6, 1945, killing
around 100,000 people.
• Three days later, the plutonium-based bomb called
Fat Man exploded over Nagasaki, Japan, killing around
75,000 people.
• Japan surrendered on August 15, 1945.
Steven Crawford
Countries With Nukes
• There are five countries with globally recognized
nuclear arsenals: the United States, the United
Kingdom, Russia, China, and France. These countries
are part of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
• Three countries who have successfully detonated
nuclear bombs but are not part of the NNPT are
North Korea, Pakistan, and India.
• Israel is highly suspected to have nuclear weapons,
although they deny it.
Steven Crawford
Radiological “Dirty Bomb”
• A dirty bomb is also known as an RDD which stands
for radiological dispersal device.
• The radioactive material in the bomb is “dispersed”
by being combined with conventional modern day
explosives, or dynamite.
• These RDD’s are not as powerful as a nuclear bomb,
because their effects max out at a five mile radius.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/dirtybomb/images/chro-199511.jpg
Hunter Hibler
Effects of
Dirty Bombs
• The dirty bomb generally does not destroy,
but rather disrupts.
• There are only minor effects of radiation on
the people, and it depends on how far away
they were and how long they were there.
• The one effect that stands out would be the
costly clean up to follow an explosion.
Hunter Hibler
Hydrogen/Atomic Bombs
Hydrogen Bomb
Nuclear Fusion
amongst hydrogen
isotopes into the
formation of helium
nuclei.
H-Bomb
Hunter Hibler
Atomic Bomb
Both
Create
enormous
reaction of
power,
heat, and
radiation.
Nuclear fissionuranium 235 or
plutonium 239 are
split to form a chain
reaction.
A-Bomb
http://www.aliciapatterson.org/APF1201/Morrissey/Morrissey03.jpg
http://images.encarta.msn.com/xrefmedia/sharemed/targets/images/pho/t039/T039873A.jpg
Hunter Hibler
http://universe-review.ca/I14-06-abomb.jpg
http://strangevehicles.greyfalcon.us/Picturesc/hydrogenbomb.jpg
Hunter Hibler
Fusion
• Nuclear fusion is the joining
(or fusing) of the nuclei of
two atoms to form a single
heavier atom.
• Nuclear fusion occurs at
extremely high
temperatures between the
isotopes of hydrogen which
make a helium atom.
• Energy in the form of heat
is released.
Sam James
Fusion and the Sun
• The sun produces energy by fusion.
• It takes small amounts of the hydrogen
isotope to create large amounts of energy.
• The sun is able to produce so much energy
because the nuclei are forced together from
the sun’s internal temperatures that reach
about 40 million degrees at the center.
Sam James
Sun’s Fusion
Sam James
Aftermath
• People receive many types of radiation
• The explosion causes temperature to rise
greatly and create a big ball of heat and
radiation
• Fallout is an explosion in the atmosphere also
causes a shock wave of compressed air that
travels at about one-half mile in two seconds.
This causes over-pressure.
Sam James
Aftermath
• Damage is caused from the thermal radiation
to buildings, people and, animals
• People are killed or injured by 3 problems:
over-pressure, building collapse, and radiation
all caused by the explosion of a nuclear bomb
Sam James
To Sum it Up…
• There are two main types of nuclear weapons
– Atomic Bombs (fission)
– Hydrogen Bombs (fusion)
• Atomic bombs are very destructive to the
world vs. dirty bombs which just cause
commotion and a mess
• There are other countries with nuclear
weapons.
Maddie Gray
Any Questions?...
Maddie Gray