Nuclear and Atomic Weapons
At a glance:
- Series: Magill’s Guide to Military History
- Categories: Military History, Technology, Inventions
- Subcategories: Nuclear Weapons, Power, Radiation, Bombs, Bombings, Explosions
- Curriculum: American History 1901-1950, American History 1951-present, 20th & 21st Century European History, Asian History
The most powerful man-made bombs or warheads are those based on manipulating the atom. Atomic weapons obtain their explosive force from splitting the atom’s nucleus (fission). The explosive power of nuclear weapons comes either from splitting atoms or by joining them (fusion). In spite of their ominous use, the development of nuclear weapons is one of the great scientific and technological achievements of the twentieth century.
The Beginnings
The development of nuclear weapons began with efforts in the 1930’s to make elements with a higher atomic number than uranium,...
[The entire page is 1642 words long]
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