What is Bomb: Definition and 163 Discussions

A bomb is an explosive weapon that uses the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy. Detonations inflict damage principally through ground- and atmosphere-transmitted mechanical stress, the impact and penetration of pressure-driven projectiles, pressure damage, and explosion-generated effects. Bombs have been utilized since the 11th century starting in East Asia.The term bomb is not usually applied to explosive devices used for civilian purposes such as construction or mining, although the people using the devices may sometimes refer to them as a "bomb". The military use of the term "bomb", or more specifically aerial bomb action, typically refers to airdropped, unpowered explosive weapons most commonly used by air forces and naval aviation. Other military explosive weapons not classified as "bombs" include shells, depth charges (used in water), or land mines. In unconventional warfare, other names can refer to a range of offensive weaponry. For instance, in recent Middle Eastern conflicts, homemade bombs called "improvised explosive devices" (IEDs) have been employed by insurgent fighters to great effectiveness.
The word comes from the Latin bombus, which in turn comes from the Greek βόμβος (bombos), an onomatopoetic term meaning "booming", "buzzing".

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  1. B

    Say they ask you to make a bomb

    Hi, I'm a junior in high school, and I've been aiming for a degree in aerospace engineering since middle school. But it came up in my mind that the aerospace field seems to be dominated by weapons. Maybe I'm just a naive kid, but I don't think I can stand watching a bomb I helped design fall...
  2. L

    How Does the Elitzur-Vaidman Bomb Tester Utilize Quantum Mechanics?

    Hey, I'm trying to understand the Elitzur-Vaidman bomb tester since it is an essentially quantum mechanic effect, but I haven't been able to find a technical quantum mechanical treatment of the subject though I've found plenty of non-technical treatments and a few pseudo-classical treatments...
  3. P

    Little Boy (bomb) fission question

    Hi, can someonse explain me some things about fission? Supposedly, the Little Boy bomb consisted of a single bullet of uranium 235 that was to be shot at a bigger mass of uranium 235 to achieve critical mass, then an initiator would introduce a burst of neutrons so fission could occur. Two...
  4. N

    Angels & Demons - The anti-matter bomb

    Hey, First off note, I did not see the movie yet (so please don't spoil any of it for me :p ), I am merely talking about the book. In the book Angels & Demons, a 'blob' of anti-matter is stolen and used as a bomb. The blob is very small (but still visible to the naked eye) and in the book it...
  5. D

    From fission bomb to fusion

    How big is the step from a fission bomb to a fusion bomb?Do you simply put H next to some fission bombs?
  6. G

    Atomic Energy: Can Tehran Engineer a Bomb?

    Hey all, I had a somewhat technical question concerning recent news events. My background in physics and mathematics is limited, especially in the area of atomic energy and science. Recent news reports have stated that Tehran now has 1,010 kilogrammes of low-enriched uranium hexafluoride...
  7. G

    The Nucleus or Nucleon or Neutron Bomb

    Well I was talking to my physics teacher because were currently studying nuclear physics. And he likes tellign stories to make his examples more straight foreward. And I asked the question what types of radiations are in nucleaar bombs. Gama, Beta or alpha. He answered me with those three types...
  8. D

    Could an Antimatter Bomb Match the Power of the Tsar Bomba?

    This is hypothetical because I know that we do not have the ability to create or store antimatter. The tsar Bomb had a yeild of 50 megatons is it true that a bomb made of 1 kg of antimatter and 1kg of matter could yeild around the same (42 Mt)? If this could be achieved would this be...
  9. Astronuc

    News Is the Oregon bank blast a sign of a new Unibomber-style attack?

    I hope this is not the beginning of another Unibomber-type campaign. Ore. bank blast kills police officer, bomb expert http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081213/ap_on_re_us/bank_bombing I can't believe they took a bomb 'inside'! Unfortunately they were killed. Hopefully the police chief can...
  10. P

    Do neutron sources play a crucial role in the function of nuclear bombs?

    Do Uranium-235 nuclei ever undergo fission spontaneously? If not how does a nuclear bomb actually work? I understand that two pieces of Uranium (which are subcritical) are driven togther by a chemical explosion and this initiates the chain reaction; however, if nuclei can not undergo fission...
  11. L

    Forrest Gump meets the Elitzur-Vaidman bomb tester

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elitzur-Vaidman_bomb-tester Assuming I understand this right, we've been able to test counterfactual events (i.e. interactionless measurement) for fourteen years now. Not as a thought experiment, but as an actual functional machine. Why the hell isn't anyone doing...
  12. S

    News When Iran will produce enough U235 to make a nuclear bomb?

    hi When Iran will produce enough U235 to make a nuclear bomb? i think they are using a big centrifuges... Regards
  13. 4

    Sr-90 Dirty Bomb: Radiation Levels & Health Effects

    For a conference I am running, I have concocted the following scenario. Evil terrorists have 11 lbs of Strontium-90 Good guys drop 4 bombs on the building housing the Sr-90, collapsing it and distributing the material I know this will require rough numbers, just please help as you can...
  14. S

    Exploring the Science Behind the Power of Hydrogen Bombs vs Atomic Bombs

    I am an afficionado of all weaponry, and there is this question I have which has bugged me for a while. What, exactly, makes a Hydrogen bomb different from an atomic bomb? I realize that the explosive is Hydrogen as opposed to Uranium or Plutonium, but why is it more powerful?
  15. S

    Grade 12 Physics Bomb explosion

    Question: A bomb explodes and 3 pieces are flying in different directions. Piece 1 : weighs 2kg and is traveling at the North East direction Piece 2 : weighs 1kg and is traveling in the south direction ( exactly downards ) Piece 3 : weighs 3 kg and is traveling in the west direction (...
  16. B

    Chemical form of uranium in a bomb?

    I understand that uranium is typically fabricated into uranium dioxide pellets when used in nuclear fuel rods; however, I can't seem to find what form it is put into when used in a nuclear bomb. I am guessing either UO_2 or uranium metal?
  17. H

    Create a Nuclear Bomb: Splitting the Uranium Atom

    i've always wondered how the split the uranium atom to creat a chain reaction in a nuclear bomb
  18. J

    Impact of atomic bomb on science

    Hi guys. I was wondering what are your thoughts on how the atomic bomb has made an impact in science?
  19. M

    Bomb Calorimetry: Solve for Water Temp.

    Hey guys, I'm having a real tough time with this question: A 30.14-g stainless steel ball bearing at 117.82 degrees C is place in a constant pressure calorimeter containing 120.0 mL of water at 18.44 degrees C. If the specific heat of the ball bearing is 0.474 J/g x C, calculate the final...
  20. T

    Time for a bomb to hit the ground

    Homework Statement Bush fir patrols sometimes drop small bomb to start a controlled burn off from aeroplanes. Peter was flying his over a forest at constant horizontal speed of 75m/s and at contsant altitude of 490m when he dropped the bomb. A) how long does it take for the bomb to hit the...
  21. M

    Calculating Molar Heat of Combustion for Butanoic Acid

    Can anybody help me out with this problem please. I'm not sure that I'm doing it right. A 1.841 g sample of butanoic acid, C4H8O2 (88.11 g/mol) was burned in a bomb calorimeter with excess oxygen. The temperature of the calorimeter and the water before combustion was 17.26 degrees C; after...
  22. N

    News Benazir Bhutto Killed in Bomb Blast

    I'd been seeing only the news of her getting injured while over a dozen people had been killed. Now, it seems, it's official. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7161590.stm
  23. L

    What is the estimated radius of a bomb explosion with 400 lb of high explosives?

    Hi all, I'm working on a project for an Environmental Engineering class. I'm not a physicist... I need to estimate the radius of explosion of a bomb that contains about 400 lb (180kg) of high explosives. Any suggestions?
  24. P

    Did the Atomic Bomb Dropped on Hiroshima Reach Supersonic Speeds?

    Recently, the New York times ran the obituary of Paul Tibbets who was the pilot of the plane that dropped an atom bomb on Hiroshima. At one point the article says: "At 8:15 a.m. local time, the bomb known to its creators as Little Boy dropped free at an altitude of 31,000 feet...
  25. M

    Effects of an EMP Bomb Questions

    I've read several posts, but still have some questions; 1) Will electronic devices that are not turned on be effected by the bomb? (ie: TV, Computers, elec. motors) 2) How long after the bomb is activated will the effects last? Surely this is only a short term thing other then the damage...
  26. V

    Bomb Calorimetry: Solving for Heat of Dissolution in NH4NO3

    Need help! I tried using the equation: Heat evolved= (specific heat)(Mass of Solution)(Change in Temp) but I cannot get the right answer. In a coffee-cup calorimeter, 1.30 g of NH4NO3 is mixed with 75.0 g of water at an initial temperature of 25.00°C. After dissolution of the salt, the final...
  27. MathematicalPhysicist

    What kind of a bomb? answer:the exploding kind.

    i have this question from wheeler and taylor book, the answer is that bomb does get explode but i don't know how to explain it obviously T is acclerating so it's not an inertail frame, but still i don't see how will an observer in U see an explosion take place, anyone care to explain, has it got...
  28. O

    Atomic BOMB but not RADIOACTIVE

    i heard that there is an idea (i don't know if it's true) that we can make ANY ELEMENT radioactive! and i thought "wtf"!
  29. B

    Does an Atomic Bomb's Explosion in a Contained Box Affect Its Weight?

    Homework Statement I am having some trouble with this one, Suppose an atomic bomb was exploded in a box that was strong enough to contain all the energy released by the bomb. After the explosion the box would weigh: a) more than before the explosion b) less than before c) no change...
  30. S

    Humanity on a ticking time bomb?

    Is Humanity sitting on a ticking time bomb? If the vast majority of the world's scientists are right, we have just ten years to avert a major catastrophe that could send our entire planet into a tail-spin of epic destruction involving extreme weather, floods, droughts, epidemics and killer heat...
  31. V

    Nuclear bomb question

    Homework Statement I am trying to solve the diffusion equation for a sphere of fissile material. I then have to derive an expression for the radius above which a chain reaction will occur (the critical radius). . My trouble then, is finding a boundary condition other than at the surface of...
  32. Ivan Seeking

    Can honeybees accurately communicate nectar sources to other bees?

    http://news.yahoo.com/s/usatoday/20061127/tc_usatoday/honeybeesjointhebombsquad
  33. F

    A military helicopter dropa BOMB

    A military helicopter on a training mission is flying horizontally at a speed of 65.0 m/s and accidentally drops a bomb (fortunately not armed) at an elevation of 250 m. You can ignore air resistance. How much time is required for the bomb to reach the earth?(s) How far does it travel...
  34. D

    Can Black Holes Be Used as a Source of Antimatter?

    Just curious about the energy/mass relationship and how it factors in when making nuclear weapons. (or hopefully a more peaceful use for such a reaction in the future.) I know manhattan era nukes used plutonium and polonium/ beryllium for fission reaction. Einstein's famous equation would have...
  35. TheStatutoryApe

    Why did a university mistake a sticker for a bomb threat on a student's bike?

    This Bike is a Pipe Bomb... This just seems ridiculous. The older story of a similar incident is even more so ridiculous though... And here's a pic and description of the sticker... http://www.stickergiant.com/page/sg/PROD/bicycle/mcs134?utm_source=froogle Who the heck is going to...
  36. S

    What Chemicals Make Fart Bombs Smell?

    how do they work? i know it had somethin to do with 2 chemicals mixing together when u press it but i want to know a detailed answer lol
  37. Pengwuino

    Meet the Winter Olympics' Charming Mascots: Neve and Gliz

    These are the mascots to the winter olympics this year http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/torino/open_mascotte_uk.asp Need I say more?
  38. siddharth

    News Are Bomb Blasts in Delhi Leaving a Trail of Destruction?

    50 killed, 70 injured as serial blasts rock Delhi. http://www.outlookindia.com/pti_news.asp?id=332102"
  39. A

    Did Smurfs Really Die in a Bomb Blast? Thoughts on the Unicef Smurf War.

    Anyone hear about the Unicef Smurf War? What do you think? http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/10/08/wsmurf08.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/10/08/ixhome.html"
  40. A

    Introducing the Quantum Bomb: A Scalable WMD

    I propse a new scalable weapon of mass destruction with potentially unlimited destructive power. I call it the Quantum Bomb. It consists of a 1000 Kg Bose-Einstein condensate. Pick your favorite atom. Hydrogen perhaps for a big fusion explosion? To explode the bomb, you let it "warm...
  41. W

    HHV experiment with bomb calorimeter

    This question refers to a lab that we did for determining the HHV value of bio diesel fuel. We are asked if the experiment was done using a higher initial temperature than the bomb was calibrated for, how would this affect the HHV determined? The room temperature is assumed to be the same in...
  42. U

    Nuclear Bomb & Missile Delivery: Urgent Help Needed

    Hi, as part of my third year degree in Maths I have to give a 10 minute oral presentation of the atom bomb :eek: . I'll start off by quickly giving a historical overview of the experiments that led up to the discovery of radioactivity and the model of the atom etc and then intend to focus on...
  43. S

    News Is NEO Insurance Expenditure Worth It?

    http://www.nuclearpress.com/view.lasso?id=001&-to
  44. A

    Make A Heavy Smoke Bomb: What You Need To Know

    Hey, before I get started, I know this is a forum for serious chemists and not punk ass kids who want to screw around, but oh well. I tried the 6 part potassium nitrate and 4 part sugar smoke bomb and I was greatly disappointed. I have used those pre-manufactered smoke bombs that use about a...
  45. H

    Time of Bomb Dropped from 2000m: Calculation

    if a plane is flying at 720 km/h and drops a bomb when it is 2000 m high what is the length of time the bomb was in the air? So Viinitial is 720 km/h and d is 2000 m , g is 9.8 and to solve for t would i use the formuladeltay = Videltat + 1/2adeltay t^2?
  46. S

    Can the effects of a nuclear bomb be mitigated through energy redirection?

    Is there any way to mitigate the effects of a nuclear bomb when it bursts such as using the energy from the bomb for an endothermic fission?
  47. A

    News Does anybody know which are the comp-onents of the atomic bomb

    Does anybody know which are the comp-onents of the "atomic bomb" Thank-you for your help...
  48. A

    Can we create a zero-radiation nuclear bomb for peaceful purposes?

    Hello, some long time ago I've heard the suggestion that low-yield radiation-free nuclear devices may some day be used for peacefull purposes, such as large scale removal of ground, e.g. for mining operations. Does current physical knowledge allow for the possibility to develop such devices...
  49. G

    News French find new method to bomb US

    Sunday, December 05, 2004 Associated Press PARIS — French police on Sunday ended their practice of hiding plastic explosives in air passengers' luggage to train bomb-sniffing dogs after one such bag got lost, possibly ending up on a flight out of Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport. The...
  50. T

    News Will Israel and USA Bomb Iran's Nuclear Facilities?

    Are they (Israel/USA {who else?}) going to bomb Iran's nuclear facilities? I think they will 100% after elections.No doubt about it. What you guys think?
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