Have a Blast! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Albert Einstein

In 1929, Albert Einstein declared himself a pacifist. In 1933, with the rise of Adolf Hitler in Germany, he no longer considered himself an "absolute pacifist". Physicists in Germany split the uranium atom in December 1938. This event (along with Germany's aggression against other countries) caused physicists, primarily Leo Szilard and Eugene Wigner, to worry that Germany was seeking to create an atomic bomb.

They approached Einstein about sending a letter to President Roosevelt warning of this and Einstein agreed to sign the letter as it was deemed his signature would have the most influence.

Answer: Britain

Prime Minister Winston Churchill and President Franklin Delano Roosevelt agreed the atom bomb project would occur on U.S. soil as Britain was under constant air attack and faced the threat of invasion.

Answer: University of Chicago

Fermi accomplished this in December, 1942. A nuclear chain reaction produces energy that can either be converted to electricity or used in an atomic bomb.

Answer: Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer, the Director of Los Alamos

Oppenheimer is often called "The Father of the Atomic Bomb". He headed the team of physicists who worked on creating the first atomic bomb. Early in the Manhattan project, it was feared an atomic bomb could ignite the earth's atmosphere and dissolve oceans. Oppenheimer proved this would not occur.

Answer: Nagasaki

Kokura, Japan was the original target for this bomb. However, bad weather forced the secondary target of Nagasaki to be chosen. Nagasaki housed a Mitsubishi torpedo producing plant which is one reason why Nagasaki was chosen as a target.

Answer: Two

One bomb was dropped on July 1 below water and another was dropped July 25 above water. 70 ships and submarines holding test animals were anchored in the Bikini Atoll lagoon. Five ships sank in the above water test and nine in the below water test.

Answer: 50

By this time the U.S. was able to successfully mass-produce bombs instead of assembling each bomb by hand. Also bomb design evolved to create smaller and more efficient bombs than those dropped on Japan.

Answer: August 1949

This occurred on August 29. U.S. scientists were surprised Russia was able to accomplish this as soon as they did. The U.S. then proceeded to beef up its atom bomb production.

Answer: Dr. Joseph Rotblat

Dr. Joseph Rotblat quit the project in November 1944, when it was determined Nazi Germany would not be able to build the bomb. He returned to his home in England. After the war, he created the first big exhibition of peaceful uses for nuclear energy. He was fervently against the creation and use of nuclear weapons. In 1995, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Answer: Dr. Louis Slotin

In 1946 - the Project continued till 1946, Dr. Louis Slotin conducted an experiment in which he brought two globes of plutonium together until they were only separated by a screwdriver. During the experiment, the globes touched and set off a nuclear reaction which caused radiation to fill the room. Dr. Slotin forced the globes apart with his hands to stop the reaction. By succeeding in separating the globes, he saved seven of his co-workers.

However, he got a lethal dose of radiation and died.