Usually atomic bombs are composed of Uranium-235, Uranium-238, and Plutonium (if I am wrong, please correct me), all of which have an alpha decay. However, if alpha particles have the least penetrating power, and can be stopped through something a thin as a piece of paper, how is it so dangerous?
edit: Sorry for the confusion, I meant how is the radiation from it dangerous, not the initial explosion. However it seems my question has been answered on both accounts. Thank you to everyone who answered! I have a better understanding of it now.
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Nuclear bombs are not dangerous because the cores emit alpha particles…. they’re dangerous because they create **massive explosions that can kill millions of people in an instant*.* That should really be self-evident.
As far as the specific radiation danger, the nuclear fission process changes the uranium or plutonium atoms into other isotopes like cesium 137, strontium 91, iodine 131 (and dozens of others that are *much more dangerous* than the original uranium and plutonium atoms, and the wind carries this as fallout and spreads them over vast areas.
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