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dirty bomb
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Also known as: RDD, radiological dispersion device
Written by
Erik Gregersen
Erik Gregersen is a senior editor at Encyclopaedia Britannica, specializing in the physical sciences and technology. Before joining Britannica in 2007, he worked at the University of Chicago Press on the...
Erik Gregersen
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The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.
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Also called:
radiological dispersion device (RDD)
Related Topics:
bomb
See all related content

dirty bomb, explosive device designed to scatter radioactive material, hence the adjective dirty. Unlike an atomic bomb’s explosive power, which comes from a nuclear chain reaction, the explosive energy of the dirty bomb comes from ordinary conventional explosives such as dynamite or TNT. When the dirty bomb detonates, it scatters radioactive material that has been placed in close proximity to the explosives. The dirty bomb is easier and cheaper to build than a nuclear weapon. The radioactive material does not have to be the extremely pure uranium or plutonium found in atomic bombs but could come from any of the ...(100 of 606 words)

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