P3 10 An Alkali Metal Water Bomb

Authors

  • Lois Brewer University of Leicester
  • Ethan Bates University of Leicester
  • Tommy Sadler University of Leicester
  • Kennedy Smith University of Leicester

Abstract

When exposed to water, alkali metals react violently with water to produce a metal hydroxide and hydrogen. Here, we will explore how much energy is released in a typical reaction, and find out how much lithium and water are needed to release the energy equivalent of ‘Gadget’; an atomic bomb dropped in the Nevada Desert in 1945, as part of the ‘Trinity’ project [1]. We find that the total mass of this lithium-water bomb would be around 9.01 ×10^9g.

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Published

13-12-2022

How to Cite

Brewer, L., Bates, E., Sadler, T., & Smith, K. (2022). P3 10 An Alkali Metal Water Bomb. Physics Special Topics, 21(1). Retrieved from https://journals.le.ac.uk/index.php/pst/article/view/4246

Issue

Vol. 21 No. 1 (2022): Physics Special Topics

Section

Articles