140 lbs target - 85 lbs and projectile - 55 lbs Dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, it was the first nuclear weapon used in a war. The resulting uranium mass comprised of both projectile and target becomes critical and the chain reaction begins. In this gun-type device, the critical mass is achieved when a uranium projectile which is sub-critical is fired through a gun barrel at a uranium target which is also sub-critical. For more information, see The Science Behind the Atom Bomb. The chain reaction starts when neutrons strike the heavy uranium or plutonium nucleus which splits releasing a tremendous amount of energy along with two or more neutrons which, in turn split more nuclei, and so on.
This is the minimum amount of fissionable material needed to start a chain reaction.
An explosive nuclear chain reaction occurs when a sufficient quantity of nuclear fuel, such as uranium or plutonium, is brought together to form a critical mass.
