The whole project revolved around finding a way to physically separate the radioactive atoms of uranium and plutonium, which were the main fissionable components of the proposed bomb. Several methods of separation were explored, and three were decided upon: the electromagnetic process, the diffusion process, and thermal diffusion. Though the first two methods required large, complex facilities and a huge amount of electricity, all three were tested at the Clinton Engineer Works, which later became known as Oak Ridge.
In a laboratory on an isolated mesa at Los Alamos, New Mexico, scientists worked on developing methods of reducing fissionable (reactive) products into pure metal and changing the structure of the metal into required shapes for the bomb. They also had to devise methods of bringing together enough of the fissionable material to achieve supercritical mass, which would result in a nuclear explosion. The scientists had to solve these issues before production could start, as these materials were costly and could not be wasted.
By the summer of 1945, enough plutonium-239 was produced by Hanford Works to produce a nuclear explosion. A field test was scheduled 120 miles south of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and on July 16, 1945, the first atomic bomb was exploded. Scientists and military officers took shelter in bunkers 9 km away, and to their awe, the explosion came as a blinding flash of light, a sudden wave of heat, and then an immense roar of the shock wave that passed through the valley. The infamous mushroom cloud extended 40,000 feet into the air, and the bomb generated an explosive power equivalent to 15,000-20,000 tons of TNT. Following this successful test, two more atomic bombs, Little Boy and Fat Man, were produced, one consisting uranium-235 and the other plutonium. Both bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, being the first and only times nuclear weapons were used in a war.
Sources:
https://www.britannica.com/event/Manhattan-Project
http://www.ushistory.org/us/51f.asp
I found you post interesting, in that I did not know how these bombs were actually produced. It makes sense that they experienced with various methods, but with one did the scientists decide on? It was also interesting that they chose to test the bomb on US soil. The bomb test site is now open to the public as a tourist site. on the first Saturdays of April and October. On the ground, you can still see the green trinity created by the bomb. Native trinite can even be seen near fenced borders. Interestingly, it is illegal to take any trinite because that would apparently be stealing from the government.
ReplyDeleteSource: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/trinity-atomic-bomb-site
I find the whole concept of nuclear weapons fascinating, not only because of the damage they are capable of but how they have essentially kept the major powers of the world out of war because of how dangerous they are. I read that the Manhattan project cost about $2 billion dollars to carry out and that translates to about 24 billion in todays money. I find it interesting how invested the government was in this project despite the fact that it was exploring something that had never been done before. Thanks for such an interesting post!
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I found this post very interesting. I found it especially interesting as to how Einstein had to convince Roosevelt to fund this atomic development program. Roosevelt initially did not believe that it was necessary, and that the war could be won with ordinary weapons. However, maybe it was Einstein's own experience with the horrors of Nazi Germany that influenced his stance into supporting the atomic research and trying to make Roosevelt support it too.
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