Nuclear Energy 2 Essay, Research Paper

Scientists discovered atomic energy at the terminal of the 19th century. Within 50 old ages it became a decisive factor in our war with Japan and has affected international weaponries policies of all time since.

The survey of atomic energy began in the 19th century when Marie and Pierre Curie discovered the radioactive elements Ra and Po. Before this lone U and Th were the lone radioactive elements that were known. Radium and Po were 100s of times more radioactive than U. The Curies won the 1903 Nobel Prize in natural philosophies for these finds. Seven old ages subsequently Marie Curie won the Nobel Prize in chemical science for polishing Ra. She was the first individual to win the Nobel Prize twice.

Soon after the Curies made their finds, scientists discovered the radioactive component Ac. By 1912, thirty radioactive elements had been discovered.

In 1905, Albert Einstein developed a theory about the relationship of mass and energy. The expression, E=mc2 is likely the most celebrated result from Einstein & # 8217 ; s theory of relativity. The expression states that Energy ( E ) peers mass ( m ) times the velocity of visible radiation squared. In kernel, it means mass is merely one signifier of energy. Since the velocity of visible radiation is an tremendous figure, 186,000 stat mis per second, and in the equation it is squared, a little sum of mass can be converted to a phenomenal sum of energy. Nuclear reactors are based around this theory because little sums of mass can bring forth big sums of energy.

In December 1938, two German scientist demonstrated atomic fission. These two scientists, Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassman, found they could divide the karyon of a uranium atom by pelting it with neutrons, which are the uncharged portion of atoms. As the U karyon splits, some of its mass is converted to energy by Einstein & # 8217 ; s Law. This find spread through the scientific community really quickly. Other scientists noted that the fission of one U atom gave off excess neutrons which could in bend split other U atoms, get downing a big concatenation reaction. This procedure could either command the concatenation reaction to bring forth limitless energy for mundane usage or the & # 8220 ; atomic bomb & # 8221 ; .

An atomic bomb plants by blending two pieces of refined U in a short clip. The uranium reaches a critical mass, which is the mass necessary to prolong a concatenation reaction. This is comparatively safe until the point of critical mass. The two pieces of U are placed far adequate apart so that critical mass will non be reached. When explosion is desired the two pieces of U of are fired together utilizing explosive charges accomplishing critical mass. A neutron concatenation reaction starts because excess neutrons are released in each U atom fission. These excess neutrons collide with the environing U atoms and bring forth more fissions and neutrons. This procedure is shortly out of control bring forthing a really deathly detonation.

It was shortly realized that even more powerful signifiers of atomic energy could be produced with the atomic merger reactions, where light elements are fused let go ofing 100 to 1000 times more energy than released in fission. This is the footing of the H bomb.

On August 2, 1939, Albert Einstein sent a missive to President Roosevelt informing him of German atomic research and the possible menace of a bomb. He besides tried to promote Roosevelt to take up American atomic research. In October, 1939, Roosevelt approved uranium research in the United States. This, among many other determinations, resulted in the Manhattan Project. Within two old ages, Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, and the United States entered World War II.

In September 1942 the Manhattan Project was formed to covertly construct the atom bomb before the Germans. The Army appointed General Leslie Groves, the applied scientist responsible for constructing the Pentagon, to head the attempts. At first, the research took topographic point at several university research labs. Soon after Enrico Fermi achieved a sustainable atomic concatenation reaction at the University of Chicago, the Manhattan Project built a top-secret composite of atomic production and research installations across the state, engaging 300,000. Secrecy was so complete that the employees did non cognize what they were working on until they heard about the bombardment of Hiroshima, Japan on August 6, 1945. Six yearss subsequently President Truman released the Smyth Report to the American Public. It contained information of the Manhattan Project, without uncovering any atomic secrets. The populace was surprised to larn of the operation with the paysheet, installations, and labour force comparable in size to the American car industry.

In November 1942, the top-secret research lab was built

deep in the mountains of Los Alamos, New Mexico. Robert Oppenheimer, a theoretical physicist from the University of California, Berkeley, was appointed as the manager. Oppenheimer assembled a squad of scientists to do an atomic device little plenty to be delivered by an aeroplane. The scientist were non cognizant that they were working on an atom bomb, they were merely told that they were working on a undertaking that might stop the war. The employees and their households were kept on site and non able to go forth unless a major exigency occurred. About 5,000 people lived and worked at Los Alamos by the terminal of the war.

One month subsequently, Enrico Fermi demonstrated the first atomic concatenation reaction. Fermi and his associates built a petroleum atomic reactor that they named Chicago Pile 1. On December 2, 1942, Fermi announced that the reaction was self-sufficient.

In 1942 and 1943, the Clinton Engineer Works was built to bring forth refined U. It was built in a town West of Knoxville, Tennessee, known as Oak Ridge, Tennessee. By the terminal of the war, Oak Ridge was the 5th largest town in Tennessee. The Clinton Engineer Works was Renamed the Oak Ridge National Laboratory after World War II.

In July of 1945, The United States exploded the first atomic device at a site near Alamogordo, New Mexico. The released blast was tantamount to 18,600 dozenss of TNT. A short piece subsequently, at the Potsdam Conference stoping universe war II in Europe, the Allied powers discussed what should be done about Japan and the land regained from Germany. President Truman was informed about the successful Trinity trial and that a bomb could be formed by early August. Truman and Prime Minister of England Winston Churchill decided that the bomb would do the Nipponese resignation without the aid of the Russians. The Japanese were told that if they did non resignation they would confront & # 8220 ; prompt and arrant destruction. & # 8221 ; Japan refused.

The following month of that same twelvemonth, The United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. On August 6, 1945, a B-29 bomber, known as the Enola Gay, released a 9,700 lb U bomb, nicknamed Small Boy, on the metropolis of Hiroshima, killing and injuring a sum of 140,000 people and destructing everything in a five stat mi radius. President Truman warned Japan that if they did non give up that the United States would assail another mark with every bit lay waste toing consequences. Japan once more refused. Three yearss subsequently on August 9, 1945, another B-29 bomber, Named Bock & # 8217 ; s Car, was sent to bomb Kokura Arsenal. However, the pilot switched to the his secondary mark, Nagasaki, because of the bad conditions over Kokura. Nagasaki was the place of a Mitsubishi gunman fabrication works. Bock & # 8217 ; s Car dropped a 10,000-pound Pu bomb, nicknamed Fat Man, over the inclines of Nagasaki, killing and injuring a sum of 100,000 and destructing three square stat mis of the metropolis. Japan surrendered on August 14, 1945.

In July 1946, the Atomic Energy Act was passed, set uping the Atomic Energy Commission ( AEC ) , which replaced the Manhattan Project on December 31, 1946. The act placed control of atomic energy in civilian custodies. The act stated that atomic energy should be directed & # 8220 ; toward bettering public public assistance, increasing the criterion of life, beef uping free competition among private companies and cementing universe peace. & # 8221 ; However, the act prohibited private companies or persons from having atomic stuff and patenting innovations related to atomic energy. The act besides restricted information on utilizing atomic stuffs to bring forth energy every bit good as on designing, doing, and utilizing atomic arms.

Three old ages subsequently, the Soviet Union detonated its first atomic device. American atomic scientist had non suspected it to be so shortly, which shook the American public & # 8217 ; s sense of security. Thousands of Americans volunteered to scan the skies with field glassess for Soviet bombers as portion of & # 8220 ; Operation Skywatch. & # 8221 ; This and the Communist Revolution in China caused President Truman to name for the United States to construct up its conventional and atomic forces to halt the spread of Soviet influence on the universe.

These affairs and more caused the United States and the Soviet Union to come in a atomic weaponries race which lasted until the 1980 & # 8217 ; s when President Ronald Reagan announced the Strategic Defense Initiative ( SDI ) , dubbed Star Wars by the imperativeness, a satellite-based defence system that would destruct incoming missiles and payloads in infinite. In, 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev became the leader of the Soviet Union. He made a program for the United States and the Soviet Union to cut down their atomic weaponries. It besides called for the terminal of the infinite work stoppage arms ( Star Wars ) . This among other things ended the Nuclear Arms Race.

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