--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Splitting the atom is like trying to…" description: "\"Splitting the atom is like trying to shoot a gnat in the Albert Hall at night and using ten million rounds of ammunition on the off chance of getting i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72d/ernest-rutherford-13268_ammunition_splitting-the-atom-is-like-trying-to-sho_2991637.jpg" --- # Splitting the atom is like trying to shoot a gnat in the… ![“Splitting the atom is like trying to shoot a gnat in the Albert Hall at night and using ten million rounds of ammunition on the off chance of getting it. That should convince you that the atom will always be a sink of energy and never a reservoir of energy.” quote by Ernest Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72d/ernest-rutherford-13268_ammunition_splitting-the-atom-is-like-trying-to-sho_2991637.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72d/ernest-rutherford-13268_ammunition_splitting-the-atom-is-like-trying-to-sho_2991637.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72d/ernest-rutherford-13268_ammunition_splitting-the-atom-is-like-trying-to-sho_2991637.jpg) > “Splitting the atom is like trying to shoot a gnat in the Albert Hall at night and using ten million rounds of ammunition on the off chance of getting it. That should convince you that the atom will always be a sink of energy and never a reservoir of energy.” [Ernest Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-rutherford/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Splitting the atom is likened to an inefficient, massive effort, emphasizing the immense energy release and impossibility of containment. **In simple terms:** Atom split releases massive energy. Key Takeaway Respect atomic power. Themes energy physics limitations Mood serious informed Type lecture technical When to use this quote - energy policy - scientific research - education Key Concepts nuclear science thermodynamics Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards are needed for nuclear energy? - How to balance energy needs with risks? A Different Perspective Containment technologies exist but are costly. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ammunition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ammunition/) [Atom Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atom-like-4704279/) [Atom Sink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atom-sink-4704277/) [Atoms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atoms/) [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Convince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/convince/) [Convince Atom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/convince-atom-4704278/) [Energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/energy/) [Gnats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gnats/) [Halls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/halls/) [Millions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/millions/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Reservoirs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reservoirs/) [Rounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rounds/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Splitting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/splitting/) [Splitting Atom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/splitting-atom-636897/) [Splitting the atom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/splitting-the-atom-176116/) [Ten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ten/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) ## Related quotes > [You can stop splitting the atom; you can stop visiting the moon; you can stop using aerosols; you may even decide not to kill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-chargaff/you-can-stop-splitting-the-atom-you-can-stop-visiting-the-moon-you/) [Erwin Chargaff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-chargaff/) > [The splitting of the atom has changed everything except for how we think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-splitting-of-the-atom-has-changed-everything-except-for-how-we/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The scientists split the atom; now the atom is splitting us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-reynolds/the-scientists-split-the-atom-now-the-atom-is-splitting-us/) [Quentin Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-reynolds/) > [Behaviorism proposes to study human behavior according to the methods developed by animal and infant psychology. 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We are Georgia Southern. Our colors are blue and white. We call ourselves the Bald Eagles. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erk-russell/i-m-gonna-say-it-one-more-time-we-are-georgia-southern-our-colors-are/) [Erk Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erk-russell/) > [You and I and everyone else have the attention span of gnats. And that means that saying or doing anything once simply doesn't work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-simmons/you-and-i-and-everyone-else-have-the-attention-span-of-gnats-and-that/) [Gene Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-simmons/) > [There is a reference in Aristotle to a gnat produced by larvae engendered in the slime of vinegar. 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The rest are just stamp collecting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-rutherford/physics-is-the-only-real-science-the-rest-are-just-stamp-collecting/) [Ernest Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-rutherford/) > [From the results so far obtained it is difficult to avoid the conclusion that the long-range atoms arising from collision of alpha particles with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-rutherford/from-the-results-so-far-obtained-it-is-difficult-to-avoid-the/) [Ernest Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-rutherford/) > [“When we consider the magnitude and extent of his discoveries and their influence on the progress of science and of industry, there is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-rutherford/when-we-consider-the-magnitude-and-extent-of-his-discoveries-and/) [Ernest Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-rutherford/) > [An alleged scientific discovery has no merit unless it can be explained to a barmaid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-rutherford/an-alleged-scientific-discovery-has-no-merit-unless-it-can-be/) [Ernest Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-rutherford/) > [A good scientific theory should be explicable to a barmaid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-rutherford/a-good-scientific-theory-should-be-explicable-to-a-barmaid/) [Ernest Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-rutherford/) > [Gentlemen, now you will see that now you see nothing. 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