How do conventional bombs work

Preparing for such events will reduce the stress that you may feel now, and later, should another emergency arise. Taking preparatory action can reassure you and your children that you can exert a measure of control even in the face of such events. Before an Explosion. The following are things you can do to protect yourself, your family and your property in the event of an explosion. Be wary of suspicious packages and letters.

They can contain explosives, chemical or biological agents. Be particularly cautious at your place of employment. Some typical characteristics postal inspectors have detected over the years, which ought to trigger suspicion, include parcels that:. With suspicious envelopes and packages other than those that might contain explosives, take these additional steps against possible biological and chemical agents.

As we learned from the events of September 11, , the following things can happen after a terrorist attack:. If you require more information about any of these topics, the following resources may be helpful. Find additional information on how to plan and prepare for an explosion and learn about available resources by visiting the following websites:. Skip to Main Content.

Loading Close. Do Not Show Again Close. Contact Us. Explosions Terrorists have frequently used explosive devices as one of their most common weapons. Learn what to do if you receive a bomb threat or get a suspicious package or letter.

Before an Explosion The following are things you can do to protect yourself, your family and your property in the event of an explosion. Build an Emergency Supply Kit , which includes items like non-perishable food, water, a battery-powered or hand-crank radio, extra flashlights and batteries. You may want to prepare a kit for your workplace and a portable kit to keep in your car in case you are told to evacuate. This kit should include: Copies of prescription medications and medical supplies.

Bedding and clothing, including sleeping bags and pillows. Make a Family Emergency Plan. Your family may not be together when disaster strikes, so it is important to know how you will contact one another, how you will get back together and what you will do in case of an emergency. Plan places where your family will meet, both within and outside of your immediate neighborhood. It may be easier to make a long-distance phone call than to call across town, so an out-of-town contact may be in a better position to communicate among separated family members.

You may also want to inquire about emergency plans at places where your family spends time: work, daycare and school. If no plans exist, consider volunteering to help create one. Knowing your community's warning systems and disaster plans, including evacuation routes.

Notify caregivers and babysitters about your plan. Make plans for your pets Bomb Threats If you receive a telephoned bomb threat, you should do the following: Get as much information from the caller as possible.

This creates the chain reaction. The very first uranium bomb, Little Boy, dropped on Hiroshima in , used 64 kilograms of 80 percent enriched uranium. In fission weapons, a mass of fissile material, either enriched uranium or plutonium, is assembled into a supercritical mass—the amount of material needed to start an exponentially growing nuclear chain reaction.

The implosion method is considered more sophisticated than the gun method and only can be used if the fissile material is plutonium. The inherent radioactivity of uranium will then release a neutron, which will bombard another atom of U to produce the unstable uranium, which undergoes fission, releases further neutrons, and continues the process.

The uranium atom can split any one of dozens of different ways, as long as the atomic weights add up to uranium plus the extra neutron. The following equation shows one possible split, namely into strontium 95 Sr , xenon Xe , and two neutrons n , plus energy:. The immediate energy release per atom is about million electron volts Me. Of the energy produced, 93 percent is the kinetic energy of the charged fission fragments flying away from each other, mutually repelled by the positive charge of their protons.

This initial kinetic energy imparts an initial speed of about 12, kilometers per second. The extreme pressure and flying debris of the explosion destroys surrounding structures see How Grenades Work for information on explosives and fuzes. A "dumb bomb" is a bomb with only these elements, dropped from an airplane such as the B-2 bomber.

The bomb is considered "dumb" because it simply falls to the ground without actively steering itself. Needless to say, it's some feat hitting a target precisely with this type of weapon. A bomber might have to drop dozens, or even hundreds of dumb bombs to take out a target effectively.

In this article, we'll find out how the major types of smart bomb accomplish this. A smart bomb is essentially an ordinary dumb bomb with a few major modifications. In addition to the usual fuze and explosive material, it has:.

When a plane drops a smart bomb, the bomb becomes a particularly heavy glider. It doesn't have any propulsion system of its own, like a missile does, but it does have forward velocity by virtue of being dropped from a speeding plane. It also has flight fins that generate lift and stabilize its flight path.

The control system and adjustable fins give the bomb a way to steer itself as it glides through the air. While the bomb is "in flight," the sensor system and control system track the designated target on the ground.