The History and Science of the Manhattan Project (Hardcover)

The development of atomic bombs under the auspices of the U. S. Army’s Manhattan Project during World War II is considered to be the outstanding news story of the twentieth century. In this book, a physicist and expert on the history of the Project presents a comprehensive overview of this momentous achievement. The first three chapters cover the history of nuclear physics from the discovery of radioactivity to the discovery of fission, and would be ideal for instructors of a sophomore-level “Modern Physics” course. Student-level exercises at the ends of the chapters are accompanied by answers. Chapter 7 covers the physics of first-generation fission weapons at a similar level, again accompanied by exercises and answers. For the interested layman and for non-science students and instructors, the book includes extensive qualitative material on the history, organization, implementation, and results of the Manhattan Project and the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombing missions. The reader also learns about the legacy of the Project as reflected in the current world stockpiles of nuclear weapons.

二戰期間，美國陸軍曼哈頓計劃下的原子彈開發被認為是二十世紀最重要的新聞事件。在這本書中，一位物理學家和曼哈頓計劃歷史專家提供了這一重大成就的全面概述。前三章涵蓋了從發現放射性到發現裂變的核物理學歷史，非常適合大二級「現代物理學」課程的教師使用。章末的學生練習題附有答案。第七章以相似的水平介紹了第一代裂變武器的物理學，同樣附有練習題和答案。對於對此感興趣的門外漢、非科學專業的學生和教師，本書還包括了關於曼哈頓計劃、廣島和長崎轟炸行動的歷史、組織、實施和結果的大量質性材料。讀者還將了解到曼哈頓計劃在當今世界核武器庫存中的遺產。