First nuclear weapon test, code-name “Trinity“July 16, 1945 at 5:30 pm in the New Mexico Desert. The test was a proof of the concept for secret nuclear science at Los Alamos. Manhattan project More atomic bombs will be abandoned during World War II Hiroshima and NagasakiJapan, only a few weeks later.
Since those explosions, the development of nuclear weapons has accelerated. Countries around the world have built Nuclear storeOver 5,000 nuclear warheads organized by the US
Nevertheless, even though the basic components of this technique are no longer secret, nuclear weapon development remains a scientific and engineering challenge. But why is nuclear weapons still so difficult to produce?
A large part of the difficulty comes from receiving the chemical elements used inside these weapons to create explosion, Hans ChristianThe director of the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists told Live Science in an email.
“The basic idea of an atomic explosion is that the atom (fisle) material is motivated to give up their vast energy,” he said. “It is a challenge to produce adequate purity and sufficient amount of fiscal material (and) This production requires considerable industrial capacity.”
Connected: How many atomic bombs have been used?
The huge release of energy is called Nuclear fragmentation responseWhen this reaction occurs, where does a chain reaction begins Atoms Energy is divided separately to release. This is the same reaction that makes Nuclear power possible.
Uranium and plutonium enhancement
Paid materials inside the atomic bomb are mainly isotopes of uranium and plutonium, which are radioactive elements, Matthew ZarfeeA professor of practice in nuclear engineering in Pen State told Live Science. The most common isotopes of uranium, uranium -238 (U -238), are mined and then undergoes a process of promotion to convert one part to another isotope, uranium -235 (U -235), which can be used more easily in atomic reactions.
“One way to enrich uranium is to convert it into gas and spin it very fast,” Zerfi said. “Due to the difference in mass between U-235 and U-238, isotopes are divided, and you can separate U-235.”
For weapon-grade uranium, 90% of a U-238 sample is required to be converted into U-235, Zerfi said. The most challenging part of this process, which may take from weeks to months, is the chemical change of the element, requiring intensive energy and specialized equipment. One Chemical threat Uranium hexfloride (UF), A is a possible release during this process Excessive toxin That, if in the breath, can damage the kidney, liver, lungs, brain, skin and eyes.
The process of enriching the plutonium to the same degree is even more complicated, he said, because this element is not naturally like uranium. Instead, plutonium is a sub -product of nuclear reactors, which means to use plutonium, scientists need to handle radioactive, spent nuclear fuels and process the material through “acute” chemical statements. Processing of this material can also pose a security risk if A critical mass Missed by mistake, Zarfi said, which is the smallest amount of fiscal material required to maintain self -sufficient fragmentation response.
He said, “When you are not in the process of creating these components, it will be very careful to ensure that things are not unknowingly and entering some kind of criticism,” he said, which can lead to a casual explosion.
Connected: Why did the atomic bomb fall on Hiroshima, left the shadow of the people with the footpaths?
Although scientific principles of bringing these components together are well understood, it can still be difficult to create and control this reaction in a fraction of a second.
“Weapons are designed in such a way that when they are exploded, the mass of a ‘supercritical’ mass is made very quickly … in a very small place.” “This causes an exponential increase in the number of fishes spreading almost immediately in the material.”
This quick spread of nuclear fragmentation is a large part that makes an atomic reaction so disastrous, he said.
In the case of thermonuclear weapons, which were developed after World War II and both use a combination of atoms Fragmentation and fusion To create an even more strong explosion, a standard fragmentation response then has to bounce a secondary and strong fusion reaction. This fusion response is the same type of power in the center of the Sun.
Nuclear weapon test
Once they become weapons, scientists and engineers need to ensure that weapons will work as required, should they be used anytime. When nuclear weapons were developed for the first time, scientific testing will test weapons (Which is destroyed The atmosphere of “uninhabited” areas where they were tested, as well as People and animals who lived nearbyIn contrast, modern weapon test depends on the computer model. It is part of the work done by the National Atomic Safety Administration (NNSA).
An NNSA spokesperson told Live Science in an email, “NNSA … develop equipment to qualify and certify weapons, ensuring their survival and effectiveness in various scenarios,” A spokesman of NNSA told Live Science in an email. “This includes advanced simulation using supercomputes system, materials science and princely engineering to ensure arms work.”
Ultimately, the complexity and challenges of the manufacture of these weapons can explain why there are so few nuclear superplaces in the world today.
