Atomic bombs

Definition

Atomic bombs were powerful weapons that used nuclear fission to release a massive amount of energy and cause widespread destruction. They were first used by the United States in World War II against Japan, resulting in unprecedented devastation.

Related terms

Nuclear fission: The process of splitting an atom's nucleus into two smaller nuclei, releasing a huge amount of energy.

Hiroshima and Nagasaki: The two Japanese cities that were targeted by the United States with atomic bombs during World War II.

Radiation: The emission of energy as electromagnetic waves or as moving subatomic particles, which can be harmful to living organisms.