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= **The Atomic Bomb -- by Jon and Kim** =

**Important Dates:**

Bombing of Hiroshima: August 6, 1945 This was the first use of the atomic bomb on a real target. Bombing of Nagasaki: August 9, 1945 After the Japanese refused to surrender, a second bomb was dropped.

The plane that dropped the first atomic bomb, a Boeing B-29 Superfortress, was called //Enola Gay//, after the pilot's mother. The bomb was called Little Boy. The second bomb, Fat Man, was dropped by another B-29, Bock's Car.
 * Interesting Facts**

Harry Truman decided that dropping the atomic bomb would actually save lives, if the casualty rate was compared to what would happen if a full-scale invasion was launched. Truman hoped that the introduction of a 'superweapon' would wow the Japanese leaders into submission. He was successful after the second bomb, when Japan accepted unconditional surrender.
 * What Happened?**

**Historical Context:** The Nazis had been recently defeated, and the Allies had turned their resources toward defeating imperial Japan. However, the Allies were quickly becoming divided: Communist Russia on one side, and the rest of the Allies on the other. The USSR and the USA were competing furiously to invent the atomic bomb, for whoever succeeded would have a severe advantage in the new balance of power.

**Key Players:**

[|J.Robert Oppenheimer]= Oppenheimer is considered to be one of the most important people that worked on this project. He was named the scientific director of the Manhattan Project and he oversaw everything that went on.

__Harold Urey and Ernest Lawrence__= Both of these scientists developed methods used to single out the isotope uranium-235, which is an integral part of making an atomic bomb.


 * Importance of the Atomic Bomb:**

The development of the atomic bomb introduced a whole new level of warfare that had not been seen before. Nowadays, atomic bombs can still be seen as a threat, although they will most likely be a weapon of last resort. The first time a bomb was used in a conflict was in [|Hiroshima]. The detonation of that bomb, showed the Japanese what we were capable of. A few days after Hiroshima, a second atomic bomb was dropped in Nagasaki. Just the next day, the Japanese decided to surrender to the US. If those two bombs hadn't been set off, who knows how much longer the war would've went on. Atomic bombs played an important role at the end of that war.




 * Chemistry Behind the Atomic Bomb:**

Atomic bombs work on the principle of nuclear fission. Nuclear fission is when an atomic nucleus breaks in half releasing millions of volts of energy. The energy released from the breaking of the nucleus results in a huge explosion. All of the energy that is released originates from the force that that keeps the atom whole.

Click [|here] for an animation on nuclear fission.

The isotopes used in atomic bombs are called uranium-235 and uranium-238. Uranium-235 is lighter compared to the other isotope and it is the one that can be split. As uranium-235 serves as the basis of the explosion, it's counterpart, uranium-238, prevents an unwanted chain reaction from occurring. Thus, one is able to maintain some control of the bomb.


 * Sources:**

Rezelman, David. "The Manhattan Project: An Interactive History" U.S. Department of Energy. 5 Oct. 2008. []

Bellis, Mary. "Atomic Bomb and Hydrogen Bomb." __About.com:Inventors__. 5 Oct 2008 .

Bellis, Mary. "History of the Atomic Bomb & The Manhattan Project." __About.com:Inventors__. 5 Oct 2008 .

Purohit, Vishwas. "The Atom Bomb: A Brief History." __Buzzle.com__. 18 Feb 2004. 5 Oct 2008 .