HOW FAT MAN WORKS ? | Nuclear Bomb ON Nagasaki | WORLD'S BIGGEST NUCLEAR BOMB | Learn from the base.

Summary

On August 6, 1945, the U.S. dropped 'Little Boy' on Hiroshima, followed by 'Fat Man' on Nagasaki three days later. Fat Man, more efficient than Little Boy, used 6.4 kg of plutonium to create a 21 kiloton explosion. Developed at the Manhattan Project's Los Alamos lab under Robert Oppenheimer, the bomb was 128 inches long and weighed 10,300 lbs. It detonated at 1,600 ft, killing approximately 40,000 people and causing extensive damage through blast, fire, and radiation.

Takeaways

• ⏱️ On August 6, 1945, the United States dropped the 'Little Boy' atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan.
• 💥 Three days later, on August 9, 1945, the U.S. dropped the 'Fat Man' atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan.
• 🔬 'Fat Man' was more efficient than 'Little Boy', producing a larger blast with less material.
• 🔬 'Little Boy' contained 64 kg of enriched uranium, while 'Fat Man' used only 6.4 kg of plutonium.
• 👨‍🔬 The Manhattan Project, led by Robert Oppenheimer, developed both atomic bombs at the Los Alamos laboratory.
• 🏗️ 'Fat Man' measured 128 inches long and 60 inches in diameter, weighing approximately 10,300 pounds.
• ⚔️ The plutonium core of 'Fat Man' was surrounded by explosives configured in a highly specialized shaped charge.
• 🎚️ The bomb used 32 Bridge wire detonators and 24-volt batteries to ensure simultaneous detonation.
• 🚁 The Boeing B-29 Superfortress aircraft dropped 'Fat Man' over Nagasaki due to obscured primary target.
• 🌋 The explosion resulted in approximately 40,000 deaths and devastated a 3 square mile radius.
• ☢️ The bomb's effects included blast, fire, and radiation, with gamma radiation posing the most significant long-term health risks.

Q & A

On what date was the atomic bomb 'Little Boy' dropped on Hiroshima?

The atomic bomb 'Little Boy' was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6th, 1945.

What was the codename of the second atomic bomb dropped by the United States during World War II?

The codename of the second atomic bomb dropped by the United States was 'Fat Man'.

How much more efficient was the 'Fat Man' bomb compared to 'Little Boy' in terms of yield-to-weight ratio?

The 'Fat Man' bomb was more efficient than 'Little Boy' as it produced a 21 kiloton blast with only 6.4 kg of plutonium, whereas 'Little Boy' produced a 15 kiloton blast with 64 kg of enriched uranium.

Who was the director of the Los Alamos laboratory during the Manhattan Project?

Robert Oppenheimer was the director of the Los Alamos laboratory during the Manhattan Project.

What was the physical size and weight of the 'Fat Man' bomb?

The 'Fat Man' bomb was 128 inches long and 60 inches in diameter, weighing approximately 10,300 pounds.

What was the primary target for the 'Fat Man' bomb before it was dropped on Nagasaki?

The primary target for the 'Fat Man' bomb was the city of Kokura, but due to thick clouds and drifting smoke, the target was shifted to Nagasaki.

What was the detonation altitude of the 'Fat Man' bomb over Nagasaki?

The 'Fat Man' bomb reached a detonation altitude of about 1,600 feet over Nagasaki.

What was the role of the plutonium sphere in the 'Fat Man' bomb?

The plutonium sphere in the 'Fat Man' bomb was responsible for the tremendous explosion, as it was compressed by the shock wave from the explosives, initiating the nuclear chain reaction.

What were the three main effects of the 'Fat Man' bomb's explosion on Nagasaki?

The three main effects of the 'Fat Man' bomb's explosion on Nagasaki were blast, fire, and radiation.

How did the 'Fat Man' bomb's detonation result in the vaporization of some people instantly?

The thermal heat from the explosion, known as the fireball, was so intense that it vaporized some people instantly within the epicenter.

What were the types of radiation released by the 'Fat Man' bomb, and how did they affect people?

The 'Fat Man' bomb released alpha, beta, and gamma radiation. Alpha radiation was less harmful and could be blocked by clothing, beta radiation could penetrate the skin causing burns, and gamma radiation was the most dangerous, penetrating the human body and causing long-term health effects such as cancer and gene mutation.

Outlines

00:00

💥 Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

On August 6, 1945, the United States dropped the 'Little Boy' atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, followed by the 'Fat Man' bomb on Nagasaki three days later. The 'Fat Man' was more efficient, using only 6.4 kg of plutonium to produce a 21 kiloton explosion compared to 'Little Boy's' 64 kg of enriched uranium for a 15 kiloton blast. Both bombs were developed at the Los Alamos laboratory as part of the Manhattan Project, under the direction of Robert Oppenheimer, often referred to as the 'father of the atomic bomb.' The 'Fat Man' was 128 inches long, 60 inches in diameter, and weighed approximately 10,300 pounds. It was powered by a plutonium sphere, surrounded by explosives and equipped with 32 Bridge wire detonators. On August 9, 1945, a Boeing B-29 Superfortress dropped 'Fat Man' over Nagasaki, resulting in approximately 40,000 deaths and widespread destruction. The bomb's detonation was facilitated by an implosion mechanism that compressed a plutonium core, initiating a nuclear chain reaction.

05:03

🌪️ Effects of the Nagasaki Bombing

The 'Fat Man' bomb detonated at an altitude of 1,600 feet over Nagasaki, causing a fireball and a firestorm that affected an area approximately 3.2 km from the epicenter. The explosion released various forms of radiation, including alpha, beta, and gamma radiation. Alpha radiation, while not penetrating the skin, can be harmful if ingested or inhaled. Beta radiation is more dangerous, capable of penetrating the skin and causing burns. Gamma radiation is the most penetrating and can cause long-term health effects such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and genetic mutations. The immediate and long-term effects of the bombing were devastating, with the thermal heat vaporizing some individuals instantly and the blast, fire, and radiation causing extensive damage to the city and its inhabitants.

Keywords

💡Atomic Bomb

An atomic bomb, also known as a nuclear weapon, is a device that releases a massive amount of energy through nuclear reactions. In the context of the video, the United States dropped two atomic bombs, 'Little Boy' on Hiroshima and 'Fat Man' on Nagasaki, during World War II. These bombs are central to the video's theme, which discusses their development, efficiency, and the devastating effects they had on the cities and their populations.

💡Little Boy

'Little Boy' refers to the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, on August 6, 1945. It was made of 64 kg of enriched uranium and produced an explosion equivalent to 15 kilotons of TNT. The video uses 'Little Boy' to illustrate the destructive power of the first atomic bomb used in warfare and to compare its efficiency with 'Fat Man'.

💡Fat Man

'Fat Man' was the codename for the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki, Japan, on August 9, 1945. It was more efficient than 'Little Boy', using only 6.4 kg of plutonium to produce an explosion equivalent to 21 kilotons of TNT. The video highlights 'Fat Man's' efficiency and the scientific advancements that allowed for a more powerful yield with less material.

💡Plutonium

Plutonium is a radioactive metallic element used in the construction of 'Fat Man'. The video explains that the plutonium sphere, similar in size to a soccer ball, was responsible for the tremendous explosion. It was surrounded by explosives and detonators, which, when triggered, compressed the plutonium and initiated the nuclear chain reaction.

💡Manhattan Project

The Manhattan Project was a research and development program during World War II that produced the first nuclear weapons. The video mentions that 'Fat Man' was built by scientists and engineers at the Los Alamos laboratory, which was part of this project. The project is significant to the video's theme as it represents the scientific and technological efforts that led to the creation of atomic bombs.

💡Robert Oppenheimer

Robert Oppenheimer was the director of the Los Alamos laboratory during the Manhattan Project and is often referred to as the 'father of the atomic bomb'. His role is mentioned in the video to emphasize the scientific leadership behind the development of nuclear weapons.

💡Implosion

Implosion is a type of detonation used in the 'Fat Man' bomb where explosives compress a core of fissile material, initiating a nuclear chain reaction. The video describes the implosion process in detail, explaining how the explosives lenses and the metal casing work together to create the necessary shock wave for the plutonium core to explode.

💡Nuclear Chain Reaction

A nuclear chain reaction is a self-sustaining series of nuclear fissions that releases a large amount of energy. The video explains that when the 'Fat Man' detonated, the compression of the plutonium core led to the mixing of polonium and beryllium, which released neutrons and initiated the chain reaction, resulting in the explosion.

💡RDX and TNT

RDX and TNT are types of high explosives used in the construction of 'Fat Man'. The video specifies that the explosives lenses were composed of 60% RDX and 40% TNT, highlighting the composition of the explosive material that contributed to the bomb's efficiency.

💡Blast, Fire, and Radiation

These terms describe the three main effects of a nuclear explosion. The video discusses how the 'Fat Man' bomb caused massive destruction through the blast wave, fireball, and radiation. It explains that the thermal heat from the explosion vaporized some people instantly and that the radiation had long-term effects, including cancer and genetic mutations.

💡Radar Altimeter

A radar altimeter is a device that measures altitude by reflecting signals off the ground. The video mentions that 'Fat Man' was equipped with an Archie radar antenna that emitted and reflected signals to detect the detonation altitude. This technology was crucial for ensuring the bomb detonated at the correct altitude for maximum effect.

Highlights

On August 6th, 1945, the United States dropped the atomic bomb 'Little Boy' on Hiroshima, Japan.

Three days after Hiroshima, the U.S. dropped the 'Fat Man' atomic bomb on Nagasaki, which was more efficient than 'Little Boy'.

'Little Boy' contained 64 kg of enriched uranium and produced a 15-kiloton blast, whereas 'Fat Man' used only 6.4 kg of plutonium for a 21-kiloton blast.

The 'Fat Man' bomb was developed by the Los Alamos laboratory as part of the Manhattan Project.

Robert Oppenheimer, the director of the Los Alamos laboratory, is often referred to as the 'father of the atomic bomb'.

The 'Fat Man' bomb measured 128 inches in length and 60 inches in diameter, weighing approximately 10,300 pounds.

The bomb's core was a plutonium sphere, similar in size to a soccer ball, weighing only 6.4 kg.

Plutonium, a radioactive metallic element, was discovered in 1940 and is considered man-made, with trace elements found in natural uranium ores.

The plutonium sphere was surrounded by specialized explosives known as lenses, composed of 60% RDX and 40% TNT.

The bomb was equipped with 32 Bridge wire detonators and 24-volt batteries connected to the fusing system.

On August 9, 1945, the Boeing B-29 Super Fortress aircraft carrying 'Fat Man' took off from Tinian.

The primary target was the city of Kokura, but due to visibility issues, the target was shifted to Nagasaki.

Nagasaki, a port city with a population of approximately 263,000, was the final target for the 'Fat Man' bomb.

The 'Fat Man' was dropped from an altitude of 17,000 ft over Nagasaki.

The bomb detonated at an altitude of about 1,600 ft, creating a devastating blast.

The explosion resulted in approximately 40,000 deaths and destroyed nearly every building within a 3-square-mile radius.

The thermal heat from the explosion vaporized some people instantly, and the blast had three main effects: blast, fire, and radiation.

Gamma radiation from the explosion posed the most significant long-term health risks, including cancer and genetic mutations.

Transcripts

on August 6th 1945 the United States

dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese

city of

Hiroshima the bomb was known as little

boy 3 days after the Hiroshima blast the

United States dropped the second atomic

bomb on the Japanese city of Nagasaki

the bomb was codenamed as Fatman Fatman

is more efficient than little boy the

Hiroshima bomb little boy consist of 64

kg of enriched uranium to produce 15

kilon Last by comparison Nagasaki bomb

the fat man consists of only 6.4 kg of

plutonium to produce 21 kilon of blast

meaning that Fatman is more efficient

than little boy Fatman was built by the

scientists and engineers in the Los

Alamos laboratory at the Manhattan

Project during the Manhattan Project

Robert Oppenheimer was the director of

the Los Alamos laboratory he is often

known as the father of the atomic bomb

the bomb was 128 in long and 60 in in

diameter it weighed approximately 10,300

lb here's the size of a person in

comparison let's take a closer look

inside the

Fatman Fatman was powered by a plutonium

sphere the plutonium sphere is similar

to the size of a soccer ball the sphere

weighs only 6.4 kg this is responsible

for the tremendous

explosion plutonium is a radioactive

metallic element it was discovered in

1940 plutonium is considered as a

man-made element Trace elements of

plutonium are found in naturally

occurring uranium ores the plutonium

sphere is surrounded by explosives these

are the explosives lenses it is a highly

specialized shaped charge it is composed

of 60% of RDX and 40% of

TNT the bomb is equipped with 32 Bridge

wire detonators which fit it around the

explosive lenses

24volt batteries are mounted on one side

of the bomb which is connected to the

fusing

system on the early morning of 9 August

1945 the Boeing b29 super Fortress takes

off from tinian with Fatman the bomber's

primary target was the city of kakura

after 7 hours of flight the aircraft

arrived over the target due to thick

clouds and drifting smoke they could not

able to drop the bomb on kakura so they

shifted their target to Nagasaki

Nagasaki was a port city located about

100 m from kakura it was larger with an

approximate population of 263,000

people at an altitude of about 17,000 ft

the Fatman was dropped over the city of

[Music]

Nagasaki 47 seconds later the Fatman

reached an altitude of about, 1600 ft

feet the Archie radar antenna emitting

and reflecting the signal to the

ground these signals are used to detect

the detonation altitude the radar

altimeters were used to reliably detect

final altitude when the altimeters sense

the correct height then the 32 exploding

Bridge wire detonators simultaneously

releasing electrical

Sparks due to this electrical Spark all

of the explosives would go off

simultaneously the thick layer of the

metal casing helps to create an

implosion shock wave inside the casing

the medium density aluminum Pusher

transfers the imploding shock wave the

shock wave then compresses the inner

components passing through a boron

plastic shell then the shock wave

transfers to a natural uranium tamper

and the sphere of plutonium would be

compressed in the middle of plutonium

two elements are called polonium and

brillium due to the compression the two

metals mix them together and thereby

releasing a burst of neut

approximately 10 milliseconds later the

nuclear Chain Reaction occurred one atom

of plutonium is hit by a neutron it

splits into two releasing energy and it

produces two neutrons Each of which goes

on to react or split other atoms of

plutonium the fat man exploded at an

altitude of about 1,600 ft if it

exploded on the ground the result of the

explosion will be relatively

low the bomb detonated with the same

force of 21 kiltons of TNT approximately

40,000 people were killed and destroyed

nearly every building within 3 square

miles of the

epicenter inside the epicenter the

thermal heat from the explosion

vaporized some people

instantly the damage came from three

main effects blast fire and radiation

the blast from a nuclear bomb is the

result of an x-ray heated air called

Fireball the fireball was an extremely

hot and highly luminous spherical mass

of air and gases The Firestorm affected

area was roughly 3.2 km from the

epicenter as a result of the explosion

it releasing radiation into the air the

alpha radiation will not do much harm

these particles of ionizing radiation

can block by wearing well protected

clothing beta radiation is a little more

serious beta particles are capable of

penetrating the skin and causing

radiation damage such as skin

burns gamma radiation is more dangerous

than others it has so much penetrating

power gamma rays can pass completely

through the human body it can also

result in long-term health effects such

as cancer cardiovascular disease and

gene mutation it causes