DIRTY WEAPONS! By: Devon, Emma, Mike, Nathan, and Nicole

What is a “dirty bomb”? a dirty bomb is an explosive designed to spread dangerous radioactive material over a wide area. However a dirty bomb's power is much closer to your average explosive, nothing compared to a nuclear bomb. Its main purpose is to cause panic, not to cause major damage.

How does it work? A dirty bomb is a conventional explosive packaged with radioactive material. When the explosive goes off, the radioactive material spreads in a sort of dust cloud, that reaches a wider area than the explosion itself.

Why is it such a serious threat? A dirty bomb is a serious threat not only because of it's explosive properties, but because of it's radioactive properties. If close enough to the explosion, over a period of time the radioactive material ionizes, If this happens in a human body the result can be fatal. The ion can break Dna chains, mutate cells, and cause radiation poisoning.

Is it a weapon of mass destruction or mass disruption? dirty bombs are weapons of mass disruption.

What effect would it have on humans? Dirty bombs explode and release material that is radioactive. It can cause a radioactive dust cloud that can spread up to several miles. Bombs kill plant and animal life in the area of detonation and can give humans cancer over a period of time or kill them.

How long would these effects remain? some areas, radiation can be destroyed or it can return to normal levels. In others, detonation cites can become uninhabitable (radiation becomes a constant in the area and surrounding resources.)

What type of isotope would be most dangerous? The most dangerous types of isotopes for dirty bombs are emitted from gamma rays. The shields for gamma rays easily penetrates body tissue, wood, paper just barely through concrete. If a dirty bomb were set off in a crowded street all of the people in the range would be contaminated but most buildings would stay intact with the exception of a few cracks.

What isotopes would be used? The isotopes that are found in dirty bombs are: americium-241, californium 252, cesium-137, cobalt-60, iridium-182, plutonium-283, polonium-210, radium-226, strontium-90. Note- the isotopes you use depends on how much destruction you want to cause.

Has anyone planned this in the past? In 2003, Jose Padilla…. In 2006, Dhiren Barot pleaded guilty of conspiring to bomb innocent people in the US and UK. He planned to bomb government buildings in DC and New York.

Has a dirty bomb ever been used? Dirty bombs have never been used, but there are multiple possibilities, it just comes down to where and when.

What are isotopes that are dangerous? A few dangerous isotopes include: Cesium used in hospitals for nuclear medicine, and in universities for scientific research Cobalt 60 - used at food irradiation plants to kill harmful bacteria on food Uranium - natural isotopes are mined in Africa for use in nuclear research Strontium 90 - found in abandoned nuclear batteries scattered around the soviet union, they are highly potent radioactive isotopes Radioactive fuel - russian reactors found in old abandoned nuclear submarines Low level mixtures - low level radioactive materials found in smoke alarms

Can you find them in the US? There are sources of radiation everywhere. US: hospitals, lower levels (smoke alarms and other household items)

Equation Alpha Decay ¹³ ⁷₅₅ Cs→ ⁴₂ He+¹³³ ₅₃ I Gamma Decay ⁶⁰₂₇ Co→higher energy

How do former Soviet Union materials cause concern? abandoned nuclear batteries are scattered around soviet union portable thermoelectric generators (electric generator absorbing energy from radioactive decay) contain strontium-90, a highly potent radioactive isotope

What can you do to protect yourself? Respirator masks; (cover nose and mouth to reduce the risk of breathing in radioactive dust) Enter a building where walls and windows are intact Take off out layer of clothing, (can get rid of 90% radioactive dust) shower/wash with soap shut windows and doors turn off ventilation systems (a/c and heat.)

How will we know? When a bomb is detonated and after its explosion there will be: a cloud of radioactive materials released. -the traveling cloud's speed will depend on the speed of the wind, where it goes will depend on the wind's direction. - cloud covers large areas at once - can enter homes through ventilation systems, open windows, open doors, and infected objects and/or people that can spread it just as well as the air can.

Vocabulary! The best part right:) Conventional Weapon (n): A non-nuclear weapon; such as small fire arms or military weapons. Dirty Bomb (n) : A nuclear warhead designed to produce a great amount of radioactive debris by use of a fusion core, fission trigger, and casing of uranium-238. Radiation Sickness -(n) : Sickness caused by irradiation with x-rays or other nuclear radiation as a result of therapeutic treatment, accidental exposure, or a nuclear bomb explosion and characterized by nausea, vomiting, headache, cramps, diarrhea, loss of hair and teeth, destruction of white blood cells, and prolonged hemorrhage. Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD) –(n) : An unconventional weapon that one might use to destabilize a community. Ionizing Radiation-( n) : Any radiation, as a stream of alpha particles or x-rays, that produces ionization as it passes through a medium.

More Vocabulary! It just gets better and better right? TNT (Trinitrotoluene Trinitrotoluol) –(n):rinitrotoluene A yellow, crystalline, water-insoluble, flammable solid, C 7 H 5 N 3 O 6, derived from toluene by nitration, a high explosive unaffected by ordinary friction or shock: used chiefly in military and other explosive devices, and as an intermediate in the preparation of dye-stuffs and photographic chemicals. Half-life –(n) : The time required for one half the atoms of a given amount of a radioactive substance to disintegrate. Weapon Of Mass Destruction –(n): A weapon that kills or injures civilian as well as military personnel; can be nuclear and chemical and biological weapons. Weapon Of Mass Disruption (n) : A weapon that destroys the state of a populated place. Radioactive Cloud –(n): A cloud composed of radioactive particles and/or materials.

You’re welcome. Any Questions?

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