How Nuclear Weapons Work

Comments · 1.9K

• RY

  @RyanMcBethProgramming · 3 years ago · pinned

  If you would like the presentation from this video for a school report, the Power Point can be found here: <br><a href="https://www.ryanmcbeth.com/single-post/nuclear-weapons-101">https://www.ryanmcbeth.com/single-post/nuclear-weapons-101 </a><br> <br>All isotopes exist in two forms: stable and unstable. These unstable isotopes are considered &quot;radioactive&quot; because they have too many neutrons compared with their protons. &nbsp;Nature abhors this imbalance and resolves it in a number of ways. &nbsp;It can turn a neutron into a proton, releasing a few protons and neutrons as &quot;alpha particles&quot; (which are basically helium without the electrons.) &nbsp;Or shed a neutron. <br> <br>If shed neutrons are captured by other nearby isotopes and made unstable, the result can become a &quot;chain reaction&quot; where more neutrons are released by nearby atoms than absorbed. Under the right conditions, this can power cities. Left uncontrolled, it can destroy them. <br> <br>Note: the final segment of this video is President Truman&apos;s address to &nbsp;the United States after the first atomic bomb was dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. <br> <br>This video covers: <br>Types of Radiation <br>How a nuclear weapon works <br>Weapons effects, <br>Tactical and strategic warheads <br>Employment and delivery <br>Electromagnetic pulse. <br> <br>Watch all of my long form videos: <br><a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt670_P7pOGmLWZG78JlM-rG2ZrpPziOy">https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt670_P7pOGmLWZG78JlM-rG2ZrpPziOy </a><br> <br>Connect with me on <br>Twitter: <br> <br>I don’t have a Patreon account. &nbsp;If you want to give me money, give it to: <br><a href="http://helpisonthewayua.com/">HelpIsOnTheWayUA.com</a> <br>Or <br><a href="http://wck.org/">WCK.org </a><br>Or <br><a href="http://gsmsg.org/">Gsmsg.org </a><br> <br>Join the conversation: <br><a href="https://discord.gg/pKuGDHZHrz">https://discord.gg/pKuGDHZHrz </a><br> <br>Want to send me something? <br>Ryan McBeth Productions LLC <br>8705 Colesville Rd. <br>Suite 249 <br>Silver Spring, MD 20910 <br>USA <br> <br>References: <br> <br>Types of radiation. <br><a href="https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/students/science-101/what-are-different-types-of-radiation.html">https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/students/science-101/what-are-different-types-of-radiation.html </a><br> <br>How Fuel is made: <br><a href="https://www.world-nuclear.org/nuclear-essentials/how-is-uranium-made-into-nuclear-fuel.aspx">https://www.world-nuclear.org/nuclear-essentials/how-is-uranium-made-into-nuclear-fuel.aspx </a><br> <br>How neutrons make things radioactive <br><a href="http://hps.org/publicinformation/ate/q12968.html">http://hps.org/publicinformation/ate/q12968.html </a><br> <br>The Gun-type design. <br><a href="http://blog.nuclearsecrecy.com/2011/11/08/the-mysterious-design-of-little-boy/">http://blog.nuclearsecrecy.com/2011/11/08/the-mysterious-design-of-little-boy/ </a><br> <br>Where does the plutonium come from? <br> <br><a href="https://fas.org/blogs/fas/2013/09/where-does-the-plutonium-come-from/#:~:text=The%20U%2D239%2C%20in%20turn,atom%20into%20one%20of%20plutonium.">https://fas.org/blogs/fas/2013/09/where-does-the-plutonium-come-from/#:~:text=The%20U%2D239%2C%20in%20turn,atom%20into%20one%20of%20plutonium. </a><br> <br>Plutonium-240 <br><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plutonium-240">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plutonium-240 </a><br> <br>The Devastating Effects of Nuclear Weapons <br><a href="https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/devastating-effects-of-nuclear-weapons-war/">https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/devastating-effects-of-nuclear-weapons-war/ </a><br> <br><a href="https://www.arpansa.gov.au/understanding-radiation/what-is-radiation/ionising-radiation/gamma-radiation">https://www.arpansa.gov.au/understanding-radiation/what-is-radiation/ionising-radiation/gamma-radiation </a><br> <br>Irradiated food <br><a href="https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/food-irradiation-what-you-need-know">https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/food-irradiation-what-you-need-know </a><br> <br>Why Gamma rays are dangerous: <br><a href="https://letstalkscience.ca/educational-resources/stem-in-context/gamma-rays-helper-or-hazard">https://letstalkscience.ca/educational-resources/stem-in-context/gamma-rays-helper-or-hazard </a><br> <br>Why are there so many different ways to measure radiation exposure? <br><a href="https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2011/03/sievert-gray-rem-and-rad-why-are-there-so-many-different-ways-to-measure-radiation-exposure.html#:~:text=They%20provide%20a%20measure%20of,the%20body%20in%20different%20ways.">https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2011/03/sievert-gray-rem-and-rad-why-are-there-so-many-different-ways-to-measure-radiation-exposure.html#:~:text=They%20provide%20a%20measure%20of,the%20body%20in%20different%20ways. </a><br> <br>REM Chart <br><a href="https://www.atomicarchive.com/science/effects/radiation-effects-human.html">https://www.atomicarchive.com/science/effects/radiation-effects-human.html </a><br> <br>Don’t use conditioner <br><a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/08/15/543647878/in-the-event-of-a-nuclear-blast-don-t-condition-your-hair">https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/08/15/543647878/in-the-event-of-a-nuclear-blast-don-t-condition-your-hair </a><br> <br>US Power Grid <br><a href="https://www.epa.gov/green-power-markets/us-electricity-grid-markets#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20U.S.%20Energy,the%20country%20(EIA%2C%202016)">https://www.epa.gov/green-power-markets/us-electricity-grid-markets#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20U.S.%20Energy,the%20country%20(EIA%2C%202016) </a><br> <br>Diethylenetriamene pentaacetate (DTPA), <br><a href="https://emergency.cdc.gov/radiation/pdf/dtpa.pdf">https://emergency.cdc.gov/radiation/pdf/dtpa.pdf </a><br> <br>Pictures and rights: <br>&quot;Dad awaiting an MRI prior to radiation therapy&quot; by SilverStack is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0. <br> <br>The Day After ABC (1993) <br> <br>&quot;Plutonium Puck&quot; by Savannah River Site is licensed under CC BY 2.0. <br> <br>&quot;destruction&quot; by <a href="http://monkeyc.net/">monkeyc.net</a> is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. <br> <br>&quot;death&quot; by <a href="http://monkeyc.net/">monkeyc.net</a> is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. <br> <br>&quot;160913-F-BP133-163.jpg&quot; by AirmanMagazine is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0. <br> <br>&quot;Datacenter&quot; by e53 is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. <br> <br>&quot;Whale and Dolphin Flying The Enola Gay&quot; by asmith62378 is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. <br> <br>&quot;Miata&quot; by gibsonsgolfer is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0. <br> <br>PRESIDENT HARRY S TRUMAN TALKS ON ATOMIC BOMBS <br>Department of Defense. Department of the Army. Office of the Chief Signal Officer. <br>8/6/1945

  300

• RU

  @russellmoore8187 · 3 years ago

  20 years ago I would&apos;ve made fun of Ryan for owning a 1# dumbbell. But after &nbsp;those 20 years of sports injuries and physical therapy, I get it.

  29

• 22

  @22788ocheeva · 3 years ago

  As someone who has worked in the nuclear weapons industry for 10 years, I can say that I&apos;m impressed with your work here. Incredibly concise yet detailed.

  608

• AL

  @AlmightyDude420 · 3 years ago

  I have no words to explain how well done this presentation is. Absolutely incredible. <br>I have never learned so much information so quickly before, and it blows my mind how straightforward and easy to learn that Ryan makes it. So absolutely clear and concise for everyone to understand, and FLAWLESSLY put together in a logical way.<br><br>This is so far beyond any educational video I&apos;ve ever seen on youtube. Completely impressive

  261

• TH

  @thedigitalrealm7155 · 3 years ago

  Honestly Ryan, you should seriously consider making many more of these educational, longer format videos. You have a real talent for breaking down processes and functions and explaining them in a way that&apos;s incredibly simple to follow. Honestly you do a lot of good for a lot of kids, and adults, with more videos like this

  39

• BB

  @bburrett · 3 years ago

  You&apos;re an amazing educator. You just packed something that should take hours to explain into a 45 minute video and did a better job of explaining things than my high school teachers ever could.

  940

• TO

  @tony3760758956 · 3 years ago

  This isn&apos;t just informative and educational. It&apos;s straight up impressive to see a subject like this presented so well. You can tell you&apos;re in your element when talking about how weapons work, but this is next level, and I don&apos;t think anyone has ever managed it this well before.<br>Well done!

  80

• JA

  @JakeBroe · 3 years ago

  Solid presentation! &nbsp;Thanks Ryan!

  157

• AL

  @allangibson8494 · 3 years ago (edited)

  The Manhattan Project didn’t use gas centrifuges for enrichment, that came post war.<br>The Manhattan Project used gas diffusion and mass spectrometry using particle beam accelerators and really big magnets (calutron). The Germans also used calutron’s for Uranium enrichment during WW2. Two tons of low enriched (reactor grade) uranium was intercepted on route to Japan in May 1945.

  14

• IR

  @irishseaswimmer · 3 years ago

  &quot;Quantum mechanics is kinda weird&quot; damn straight Ryan 😂😂👍

  84

• TI

  @timothy098-b4f · 3 years ago

  I’ve been working in this field for years. I can’t believe how clearly and concisely you covered so many different aspects of this complex topic. Nicely done sir.

  22

• CH

  @chonpincher · 2 years ago

  A minor nitpick: Copper is used for underground electric cables. However, the cables used for the long-distance overhead electric grid, which are exposed to EMP radiation and may focus it to damaging effect, are made of aluminium-sheathed high-tensile steel. While copper is an excellent conductor, its density and &nbsp;inadequate tensile strength would make it snap under its own weight if suspended over the required span between the supporting pylons.

  11