Atomic Bombs :: Bombs History Essays

Atomic Bombs Today, bombs are a part of life. People hear about bomb explosions, or a story related to bombs, almost daily. No one is really in harm today because of the strict regulation of bombs. The United States government as well as many governments all over the world have limited the use of bombs. Since the atomic bomb was introduced, the only thing that the world has been able to relate to it is destruction. This, of course, is due a great deal to World War II. The â€Å"famous† bomb that was dropped in Japan was the straw that broke the camel’s back. There is a plethora of information on the negative effects of the A-bomb and topics that relate to the atomic bomb: its origins, its effects on the environment, and its effects on humans. First of all, a brief outline of nuclear history can tie up loose ends of the life of radiation. In 1789, Martin Klaproth discovered uranium. Wilhelm Roentgen discovered X-rays in 1895. One year later, Henri Becquerel, a French scientist, discovered that some atoms give off energy in form of rays; uranium gives off radiation. In 1899, Ernest Rutherford concludes that radiation can be divided into two types, alpha and beta rays. One year later, Pierre Curie observes another type of radiation, the gamma ray. In 1905, the first food irradiation patents are issued in the U.S. and Europe. This is a method for processing foods by treating them with radiation. (It does not make the food radioactive.) This time line shows how quickly radiation came to be in relation to uranium to the effects of the radiation it gives off. This is an important idea to note because it forecasts the speed at which the atomic bomb was later created. The scientific development surrounding the A-bomb has been a pivotal point in the world’s history, launching the world into the Atomic Age. The discovery of the nuclear atom dates back to 1911, but its potential power was not realized until the late 1930’s. Both the idea and study of atoms as a weapon originated in Germany. Albert Einstein even had knowledge of atomic weapons. He wrote a letter to President Roosevelt to inform him of the potential power of them.