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Whether lead could protect you from a nuclear blast or not depends on how far from the centre of the blast you are, how thick the lead is and how powerful the blast is.

Lead alone would only really protect you from the ionising radiation given off by the blast; provided that the lead is thick enough and that you were far enough away from the blast itself. If you were quite close to the blast then the explosion itself is the biggest danger to you as it is powerful enough to flatten buildings and reaches temperatures of tens of millions of degrees. A Hiroshima-sized blast would vapourise almost everything within at least a 1 mile radius and would make short work of lead (which has a boiling point of only 1749 degrees.)

Lead is only used to shield from ionising radiation because it is very dense and so a thinner layer of it can absorb the same amount of radiation as a much thicker layer of a less dense material. This means that, while lead alone would not make much difference close to the blast, if you were further away (preferably in a bunker) then the lead (if thick enough) would be useful to absorb most of the ionising radiation given off by the blast

A better solution for protection from radiation and the blast is earth and rock. However more radiation is absorbed by smaller thicknesses of denser materials so you would need much more material between you and the blast then if you used lead. However the larger thickness of material may protect you from the blast and thermal radiation effects.

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What material can withstand a nuclear blast?

Materials that are able to withstand a nuclear blast include thick, reinforced concrete, steel, and lead. These materials are used in the construction of bunkers and nuclear shelters to provide protection against the intense heat, pressure, and radiation generated by a nuclear explosion.


What effect of a nuclear detonation often causes lung damage and ruptured eardrums?

The intense blast wave from a nuclear detonation is responsible for causing lung damage and ruptured eardrums. The rapid change in air pressure can lead to these injuries by creating a powerful shockwave that propagates outward from the explosion.


Will a nuclear blast kill you?

A nuclear blast can have devastating effects, including heat, blast pressure, and radiation that can result in immediate death. The impact of a nuclear blast depends on various factors, such as the distance from the explosion and the size of the bomb.


Could a lead lined refrigerator really save you from a nuclear blast?

Unlikely. People tend to forget that close to the blast the sheer energy of the shockwave, and the heat of the explosion (reaching tens of millions of degrees) will utterly destroy everything in its path. If we look at the Indiana Jones film then it is more likely that he and the fridge he was hiding in would be smashed to bits or vapourised by the blast. A smaller thickness of lead can be used than other, less dense, materials to absorb most of the of ionising radiation from the blast itself. However, the lead would offer little protection from the shockwave and thermal radiation given off by the blast. Also, assuming that you did survive the initial blast you would not be able to leave the refrigerator as the environment outside would remain highly radioactive for a long period of time and would be contaminated with fallout material. If you tried to live in the refrigerator long enough for the radiation levels to drop low enough for you to get out of the refrigerator without suffering radiation poisoning, you would not have enough food, water, or air in order to survive that long.


Is nuclear energy a blast of energy?

No, nuclear energy is not a blast of energy. It is derived from the process of nuclear fission or fusion, where the nucleus of an atom is split or combined to release energy in the form of heat. This heat is then used to generate electricity in nuclear power plants.

Related Questions

What material can withstand a nuclear blast?

Materials that are able to withstand a nuclear blast include thick, reinforced concrete, steel, and lead. These materials are used in the construction of bunkers and nuclear shelters to provide protection against the intense heat, pressure, and radiation generated by a nuclear explosion.


Did the tsunami trigger the nuclear blast?

No, the tsunami did not trigger a nuclear blast. The nuclear blast at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan was caused by a loss of cooling functionality due to the earthquake which occurred before the tsunami.


Was there a nuclear blast in the world?

yes, thousands


What type of nuclear blast occurs underground?

An underground nuclear blast is referred to as an underground nuclear test. It involves detonating a nuclear weapon below the surface of the Earth, effectively containing the explosion underground. This type of blast generates seismic waves that can be detected and analyzed for various purposes, including testing nuclear weapons technology.


What are the HARMFULNESS caused by nuclear blast?

The blast effects (which is all the question as worded asks about) would be the same as the blast effects of a weight of TNT identical to the nuclear bomb's yield (by definition). However a nuclear bomb has additional effects that the TNT doesn't, but as this question only asked about blast effects, I won't visit them.


What effect of a nuclear detonation often causes lung damage and ruptured eardrums?

The intense blast wave from a nuclear detonation is responsible for causing lung damage and ruptured eardrums. The rapid change in air pressure can lead to these injuries by creating a powerful shockwave that propagates outward from the explosion.


What makes up the largest percent of evergy relearsed in a nuclear dotonation?

Blast, always blast.


What makes up the largest percent of energy released in a nuclear detonation?

Correct answer is blast effect


Will a nuclear blast kill you?

A nuclear blast can have devastating effects, including heat, blast pressure, and radiation that can result in immediate death. The impact of a nuclear blast depends on various factors, such as the distance from the explosion and the size of the bomb.


What plants could survive a nuclear blast?

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What insects can survive a nuclear blast?

A direct nuclear blast - nothing. However it is said that cockroaches would possibly survive radiation where other animals would be killed.


Could a lead lined refrigerator really save you from a nuclear blast?

Unlikely. People tend to forget that close to the blast the sheer energy of the shockwave, and the heat of the explosion (reaching tens of millions of degrees) will utterly destroy everything in its path. If we look at the Indiana Jones film then it is more likely that he and the fridge he was hiding in would be smashed to bits or vapourised by the blast. A smaller thickness of lead can be used than other, less dense, materials to absorb most of the of ionising radiation from the blast itself. However, the lead would offer little protection from the shockwave and thermal radiation given off by the blast. Also, assuming that you did survive the initial blast you would not be able to leave the refrigerator as the environment outside would remain highly radioactive for a long period of time and would be contaminated with fallout material. If you tried to live in the refrigerator long enough for the radiation levels to drop low enough for you to get out of the refrigerator without suffering radiation poisoning, you would not have enough food, water, or air in order to survive that long.