Modeling the energy released in the H-bomb explosion at Bikini Atoll – An application of the Dimensional Analysis process

Abstract

The modeling of physical events often requires mathematical predictions to understand the quantities influencing the analyzed phenomena. This knowledge is essential in engineering education, demonstrating that even with simple models, physics can explain and predict events. This study presents dimensional analysis as a modeling technique applied to estimate the energy released by the hydrogen bomb in a nuclear test at Bikini Atoll in July 1954, and its use in a Physics II class for engineering students. The results indicate that, despite sensitivity to measurement errors, the model provided satisfactory estimates, close to those calculated by the U.S. Navy at the time. The classroom approach proved effective in promoting meaningful, critical, and applied learning.