This late 1940s Encyclopedia Brittanica film takes a look at atomic energy. It’s main focus is on the atom itself, providing a detailed look at what happens to the molecules during nuclear synthesis and shows how the sun has been emitting atomic energy for billions of years through radiant energy. It is presented by Encyclopedia Britannica Films (:08) and opens with the mushroom cloud of an atomic explosion (:11). Here it states to study atomic energy, we could begin with a bomb though we must first understand atom cells (:18). It then shows a bubble, which like everything else, is composed of atoms (:26). A demonstration ensues of what it would look like if the bubble was cut in half and the thin was zoomed in on (:38). Within, would be molecules composed of atoms (:50). The hydrogen atom is shown and is the simplest atom in nature (:52). It consists only of an electron and the nucleus (1:00), which includes a proton (1:08). Nearly all of the weight in the atom is from the proton as it weighs almost 2,000 times as much as the electron (1:18). The helium atom is then shown which is slightly more complex and is composed of two electrons and the nucleus with two neutrons and two protons (1:27). One helium atom is shown encircled by four hydrogen atoms (2:16). The four hydrogen atoms combined have all of the parts necessary for the helium atom and through a complex process, the four hydrogen atoms can become one helium atom (2:46). When this happens, mass is lost (2:53). A demonstration ensues to show what happens to this mass that is lost in the process (3:19). The weight is given off as a form of radiant energy (3:35). This process involves nuclear changes and is known as nuclear synthesis (4:05) which is one form of atomic energy. When this is conducted with billions and billions of atoms it produces the same energy as the sun (4:18). Every second, the sun gives off five million tons of mass in the form of radiant energy (4:24) as hydrogen atoms combine to form helium. The energy from the sun hitting Earth has various effects, one being the action it has on plants (4:46). Plants convert the sun’s energy into chemical energy through the process of photosynthesis (4:55). A plant’s leaf is zoomed in on to show the difference between chemical and atomic energy (5:10). Within the leaf are molecules and atoms (5:14). No matter what the atoms are, the chemical changes never affect the nuclei and only the electron orbits are altered (5:52). An example follows of the process of photosynthesis (5:41) with a hydrogen atom. If it was subjected to enough heat, a point is reached where the electron jumps to a larger orbit and now has more energy (5:57). If it were to return to its former orbit, this new energy is emitted (6:04). Another form of energy on Earth is shown in radium which gives off energy at random (6:35). The nucleus of the radium atom is zoomed in on (6:42) which is unstable and undergoes changes over time (6:56). This is natural radioactivity which is another way to release atomic energy (7:09). During this process, radium gradually becomes led (7:18). The uranium atom is shown next which is the most complex atom found in nature (7:33). If the uranium nucleus is hit with a neutron, it will split apart and this process is known as nuclear fission which emits large amounts of energy (7:42). The freed neutron can then continue this process and free other neutrons (8:20) in a chain reaction. Under the proper conditions, this process can be continued until the uranium fuel is mostly burned out (8:52). This is what takes place in the atomic bomb (9:23). During the atomic bomb explosion, the bomb creates intense heat which causes the surrounding air to expand rapidly and thus creating an explosion (9:27). The knowledge of how to release atomic energy through nuclear fission is what led to the creation of the atomic bomb (10:21). The film concludes on a large mushroom cloud from an atomic explosion (10:32).

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