atomic pile

Progress on the atomic pile gave reason for optimism, but Fermi—unhappily relocated to Chicago on Compton’s orders—was still building only prototypes.

In this cave, Heisenberg had been trying to build an atomic pile, similar to the one made by Enrico Fermi on the squash court in Chicago.

These are materials such as carbon, iodine or phosphorus that are radioactivated in atomic piles, so that they give off a steady stream of radiation waves.

In milliseconds the entire atomic pile melted, disintegrated, and was hurled upward nine feet, smashing Navy specialist Legg, who was standing on the top, into the concrete ceiling, impaling him on a bolt.

Nor can they be slowed down by letting them collide with the nuclei of a "moderator" material, as neutrons are slowed in atomic piles.