Much has been written on the Manhattan Project and the construction of the first atomic bombs during World War II, but the contributions of chemists and chemistry are often overlooked. In Chemical Reactions: Chemists, Chemistry, and the Development of the First Atomic Weapons, scientist Mark. A. Morgenstern breaks down the chemical processes involved in the creation of the bomb, including the origin, history, and chemistry of uranium and plutonium, and the process of nuclear fission. In addition to the chemical processes, Morgenstern emphasizes the chemistry and specific chemists involved in each case, who are often uncredited in history's retellings of the events.

The amount of chemistry required to make the first atomic bombs was extensive, and in Chemical Reactions, Morgenstern provides a broad survey of the major chemical processes developed for important aspects of the project. Throughout Chemical Reactions, readers will learn what it took to produce reactions critical to the development of the atomic bomb and gain an appreciation for the history of atomic research and the major players behind the scenes. Many challenging problems were solved by chemists-from academia, industry, and government agencies-who never received credit for their efforts. Morgenstern's new history serves to fill that gap by recognizing the contributions from chemists and chemistry to the success of the project.