Building Nuclear Bombs for Dummies

Building Nuclear Bombs for Dummies Siu Ping Chin Feman, Stuart Tomko

Terms • Fission - The splitting of an atom into two particles of smaller total mass • http://people.howstuffworks.com/nuclear-bomb3.htm • Fusion – The brining together of two smaller particles to form a larger one • Ask the swimmers • Einstein’s famous formula: E=mc2

Terms • k factor – the average number of neutrons from each fission that goes on to start another fission • Critical mass – the minimum mass of fissionable material required to sustain a nuclear fission reaction (k > 1) • supercrititcal and subcritical

Types of Nuclear Bombs • Fission Bombs • Based on nuclear fission • Fusion Bombs • Based on nuclear fusion • “at the heart of every good fusion bomb is a good fission bomb” • We’re going to build a fission bomb • Easier • necessary for a fusion bomb

Detonating devices • Gun-triggered • Fires one subcritical mass of nuclear material at another, forming a critical mass • Implosion-triggered • Fires an even blast behind two subcritical masses bringing them together with extreme pressure • The explosion must be completely even • Explosive lens • Explosive lenses are very complicated so we’re building a gun-triggered bomb

Neutron source • The Initiator • Need a source of neutrons to start the fission • Most common is a polonium-210/beryllium initiator • Polonium-210 is radioactive and emits alpha particles • Alpha particles cause beryllium to emit neutrons

Containment device • Tamper/Reflector • A thick shell of neutron reflecting material to contain the explosion and make sure the bomb doesn’t fizzle out • We’re using uranium-238, which is decent and readily available

The Nuclear material • Must use a material that can be supercritical and that can undergo induced fusion • Plutonium-239 • The more powerful, but harder to obtain and cannot be detonated with a gun-triggered device • Uranium-235 • Not as powerful, • easier to get and detonate • We’re using U-235

Were to get everything • Gun-triggering device • you can buy C-4 on the black market for relatively cheap. • Other explosive can easily be made (talk to me after class). • Neutron source • You can buy beryllium or steal it from the chem department here. • Buy Po-210 at www.unitednuclear.com • Containment device/Tamper • You can buy U-238 from Canadians

Where to get the rest • The nuclear material • Can be stolen from a conversion facilities in Erwin, TN and Lynchburg, VA • U-238 can also be enriched to U-235 • Pour a few gallons of HF over the uranium oxide you legally purchased • Bubble fluorine gas into the container • Transform gas into liquid (can be done with a simple bicycle pump) • Put the liquid in a bucket and swing in a circle to centrifuge (can also be done in a commercially available centrifuge) • DO NOT PUT ALL ENRICHED URANIUM TOGETHER OR YOU MAY EXPLODE • Put Ca tablets into each bucket (available at any CVS) • The Ca will separate the hexafluoride out of the uranium and you will be left with weapons grade U-238

Assembly • First build initiator • Get a small amount of your Po-210 and wrap it in metal foil. Next wrap that in Be and then wrap the whole thing in another layer of foil. • Nuclear material • Take just under 10 lbs of U-235 and wrap it around the initiator. This is what you are going to fire the rest of the U-235 into.

Assembly • Build the gun-trigger • Take whatever explosive you settled on for the gun-trigger and place it at the back of a small mass of U-235. Rig up some detonating device to set off the explosive. • Putting it all together • At one end of your tamper place the bulk of the uranium wrapped around the initiator • At the other end, place the gun trigger • Seal everything nice and tight • Congratulations, you have a nuclear bomb

What it should look like • http://people.howstuffworks.com/nuclear-bomb5.htm

Why it matters • Consequences of a nuclear explosion • A wave of intense heat and pressure • Radiation • Radioactive fallout • Health Risks • Getting blown up • Emotional distress • Cancer • Infertility • Birth defects

Sources • people.howstuffworks.com/nuclear-bomb1.htm • www.subterrane.com • www.barryrudolph.con • Weapons of Tomorrow. Brian Beckett. 1983 • Physics. 5th ed. Giancoli

Building Nuclear Bombs for Dummies