5-2The Menace of the Atomic Bomb

October 5, Photo by Shigeo Hayashi

A nuclear chain reaction releases an enormous amount of energy in an extremely short period of time. The energy is released as heat, blast, and radiation. The atomic bomb was developed to utilize this energy as a weapon.

The complex interaction of heat, blast, and radiation emitted by the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki caused tremendous damage.
No conventional weapon releases nuclear radiation. The radiation unique to atomic bombs inflicts severe damage on human bodies.