When a nuclear weapon detonates, its energy is released in several distinct forms:
The following overview summarizes the scientific principles, historical context, and immediate physical effects of an atomic explosion. atomic explosion
An atomic (fission) explosion occurs when the nuclei of heavy, unstable atoms—typically or Plutonium-239 —are split into smaller parts. This process, known as nuclear fission , releases a massive amount of energy due to the "nuclear difference," where nuclear reactions release roughly a million times more energy than chemical reactions. When a nuclear weapon detonates, its energy is
The Devastating Effects of Nuclear Weapons - The MIT Press Reader When a nuclear weapon detonates
: Shooting one piece of uranium into another to create a supercritical mass (used in the "Little Boy" bomb).