The war was basically over when US bombed Hiroshima, US soldiers had orders to raze around 50 cities in Japan, and they were doing quite a job using Napalm, because most Japanse housing was made of tree so there were massive firestorms from the napalm. Using the A-bomb over hiroshima was just and excuse to see what it could *really* do.
And for some numbers, the hiroshima A-bomb contained 5000 Kg of ordinary explosives (just to implode over the uran to start the reaction), 25 Kg (around 50 lbs) of Uran, out of which 2 Hg was part of the atomic reaction (about 0.5 lbs). And the explosion took place around 600 meters above Hiroshima, that is about 1800 feet. And had the devastating effect that I'm sure everyone has seen one or an other picture of.
Conclusion, the A bomb is about 18 000 000 times more powerfull than any other known explosive. And remember this was more than 50 years ago, todays atomic weapons are much much more advanced and dangerous.
Slashdot Mirror
The war was basically over when US bombed Hiroshima, US soldiers had orders to raze around 50 cities in Japan, and they were doing quite a job using Napalm, because most Japanse housing was made of tree so there were massive firestorms from the napalm. Using the A-bomb over hiroshima was just and excuse to see what it could *really* do.
And for some numbers, the hiroshima A-bomb contained 5000 Kg of ordinary explosives (just to implode over the uran to start the reaction), 25 Kg (around 50 lbs) of Uran, out of which 2 Hg was part of the atomic reaction (about 0.5 lbs). And the explosion took place around 600 meters above Hiroshima, that is about 1800 feet. And had the devastating effect that I'm sure everyone has seen one or an other picture of.
Conclusion, the A bomb is about 18 000 000 times more powerfull than any other known explosive. And remember this was more than 50 years ago, todays atomic weapons are much much more advanced and dangerous.
-J