I get the basics, energy equal mass times velocity squared, but how does that create a nuclear reaction large enough to make a bomb?
In: Physics
There are many steps into making a bomb. And this formula doesn’t really explain how the bomb work at all. What does it do then? It allows scientists to measure how much energy would be produced by measuring mass deficit: the difference between mass of an atom and total mass of its constituent measured individually. And it also suggests the possibility of storing and releasing a large amount of energy from something relatively lightweight, which allow the bomb to actually be delivered.
The mechanism that allow the bomb to actually explode is atomic chain reaction; kind of like how fire is a chemical chain reaction. An atom can split (or fuse), releasing energy, and part of this energy trigger other atoms to split (or fuse). If done correctly, this chain reaction can sustain itself, and it happen extremely fast, releasing a huge amount of energy. What you need is the right type of atoms (that release enough energy), the correct shape (so that energy released from an atom go on to trigger more reaction), and some sort of mechanism to ensure that there is an initial trigger of the chain reaction.
I would suggest reading about the Devil Core, one of the infamous example of atomic chain reaction. A tiny difference in the shape of the material allow the chain reaction to sustain itself, releasing a huge amount of energy, killing a scientist studying it, and harming several other people in the room.
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