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Nuclear Weapons
This category is for questions about weapons that use nuclear fission or fusion to gain explosive power.
3,869 Questions
Where did they do practice runs on the bouncing bomb?
Practice runs for the bouncing bomb were done at the Derwent Reservoir in England by the Royal Air Force's 617 Squadron in May 1943. These runs were part of the training exercises in preparation for the famous Operation Chastise against German dams during World War II.
What is a nuclear explosion which releases energy equivalent to 7000000 tons of TNT?
Such an explosion is often referred to as a "7 megaton nuclear explosion." It releases energy equivalent to 7 million tons of TNT and can cause widespread destruction over a large area.
A radiological device (or "dirty bomb") consists of a normal explosive device placed next to (or encased inside of) some sort of radioactive material. Generally speaking, the most likely candidates for this radioactive material are:
Cobalt-60 : obtainable from many medical radiation devices (old NMRI or X-ray machines of various types). While only a few ounces of Co60 would be obtained from any one device, it is rather pure, and finding older devices in junkyards isn't terribly difficult.
Thorium : obtainable from any "rare-earth" mine, as a waste product. It would require some refinement to remove much of the "junk" inside the mine tailings. But this is not terribly difficult. The amount of reprocessing would likely be substantial, however (that is, to get a good amount of Thorium, you'd have to likely reprocess several tons of waste).
Spent Reactor Fuel : this is perhaps ideal. It contains all sorts of various radioactive materials, and in a concentrated form. It is also obtainable with some modest effort.
Uranium tailings : obtained from any uranium mine, the waste tailings are generally sufficiently radioactive to be useful in a radiological bomb. Minor reprocessing to remove non-Uranium (i.e. ordinary rock) from the tailings would significantly improve the purity.
Cesium (particularly Cs-137) : is found in a variety of industrial and medical devices. However, it generally is only found in very very small quantities, or else in some form of compound requiring significant processing to remove the pure Cs. This is probably the least likely source.
Overall, for a well-financed and well-organized terrorist organization, I would think that hijacking or stealing spent reactor fuel is the best source for creating a dirty bomb. If they can set up a small reprocessing plant (which isn't difficult to do) in some remote location, Thorium tailings are the likely choice, since they're much easier to steal and no-one is keeping track of Thorium thefts.
How much did the plutonium device cost for the nuclear bomb?
The cost of the plutonium used in a nuclear bomb can vary greatly, depending on factors such as purity, quantity, and production method. However, estimates suggest that the plutonium used in a typical nuclear bomb could cost millions of dollars.
How do you feel after a nuclear stress test?
After a nuclear stress test, you may feel tired or fatigued, but this is typically temporary and should subside within a few hours. You may also experience some soreness at the injection site. It is important to follow your healthcare provider's post-test instructions and drink plenty of fluids to help eliminate the radioactive tracer from your body.
Where did they test the bouncing bomb?
The bouncing bomb, designed by Barnes Wallis, was tested at Reculver on the north Kent coast, using a rotating drum apparatus to simulate the bouncing effect on water. The final tests were conducted at Reculver due to its top-secret nature and distance from potential German detection.
How has the UN tried to limit nuclear biological and chemical weapons?
The UN has established treaties and conventions such as the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, the Chemical Weapons Convention, and the Biological Weapons Convention to limit the spread and use of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons. It also conducts inspections and monitoring programs to ensure compliance with these agreements and works with member states to strengthen their non-proliferation efforts.
What is a nuclear explosion which releases energy equivalent to 7000000 tons of TNT called?
A nuclear explosion that releases energy equivalent to 7,000,000 tons of TNT is known as a "megaton" explosion. This term refers to the explosive power of the nuclear blast in relation to the traditional unit of measure for explosive force, which is tons of TNT.
What is the source of energy in nuclear weapons?
Nuclear binding energy, the excess energy holding the protons and neutrons making up the nucleus together. Atoms lighter than iron and nickel and atoms heavier than lead have this excess energy that can potentially be released. Hydrogen (the lightest element) is readily fused to make helium in hydrogen bombs and the elements uranium and plutonium are readily fissioned in atomic bombs.
What weapon ended the World War 2?
The weapon that ended WW2 was the atomic bomb, which was dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, on the 6th and 9th of August 1945.
How much plutonium would be needed to build a standard hydrogen bomb?
The first plutonium fission bomb used 6.2 kilograms of plutonium.
The first stage of a hydrogen bomb is a fission bomb. By using better explosives to compress the plutonium and tritium gas boosting it is probably possible to use 2 kilograms to 3 kilograms of plutonium here.
Each fusion stage uses a plutonium "sparkplug" rod that runs the length of that stage to initiate fusion. The exact dimensions (and thus the weight) of plutonium used here is classified Top Secret Restricted Data. It is possible that these "sparkplugs" may even be hollow tubes (to allow neutrons a free path the entire length), which might eliminate more than 90% of the weight of a solid rod while improving its performance.
As a "ballpark guess" without reliable data to base it on, each stage of a modern hydrogen bomb (both the fission first stage and all fusion stages) probably uses less than 3 kilograms of plutonium.
A standard two stage hydrogen bomb would then use less than 6 kilograms of plutonium and a three stage hydrogen bomb (the largest size ever built) would then use less than 9 kilograms of plutonium.
The Einstein-Szilard letter warned President Roosevelt that Germany might be developing atomic weapons and recommended that the US also pursue this research to stay ahead. It urged the US government to take action and prioritize efforts towards nuclear research before Germany could potentially develop such weapons.
What is a Nuclear Bomb Explosion Radius?
The explosion radius of a nuclear bomb can vary depending on its size and design, but a typical range for a strategic nuclear weapon is a blast radius of several miles and a thermal radiation radius of several more miles. The effects of the blast, heat, and radiation can cause widespread destruction and casualties over a large area.
What type of nuclear burst occurs 100000 feet but the fireball doesn't contact the earth's surface?
An air burst occurs at an altitude of 100,000 feet, where the nuclear explosion happens in the air rather than on the ground. In this type of burst, the fireball does not make contact with the Earth's surface, resulting in a wide area of destruction from the shockwave and thermal radiation.
What was the result of the Trinity Test in 1945?
The Trinity Test was the first successful test of a nuclear weapon, which took place on July 16, 1945, in New Mexico. The successful detonation of the bomb marked the beginning of the atomic age and led to the eventual use of nuclear weapons in World War II.
What happened to hydrogen bombs?
Hydrogen bombs still exist and are considered among the most powerful weapons in the world. These bombs use nuclear fusion to release an immense amount of energy, and they are designed to create explosions far more destructive than atomic bombs.
Generically speaking, anything that occurs above Earth's surface is referred to as an airburst. Be that one inch above or 1,000 miles above.
There are three types of nuclear blasts: the afore mentioned air burst, surface burst (that detonates upon impact, and the subsurface burst that detonates by timer or at depth.
It occurs to me that your question may be worded confusingly, and you could mean the intent of detonating a nuclear device, specifically a thermonuclear device at high altitude. If this is the case, the result is an EMP (electron magnetic pulse), intended to knock out a power grid and solid state components.
High altitude burst
What causes the radiation in a nuclear blast?
The radiation in a nuclear blast comes from the release of energy during the explosion. This energy can create various types of radiation, such as gamma rays, beta particles, and neutrons. The radioactive materials involved in the blast can also contribute to the radiation released.
What is the radiation of a nuclear bomb?
The radiation from a nuclear bomb includes gamma rays, neutrons, and residual radioactive fallout. Gamma rays are high-energy electromagnetic radiation, while neutrons are subatomic particles that can induce nuclear reactions in surrounding materials, releasing additional radiation. Fallout consists of radioactive particles and debris from the explosion that can spread over large areas, causing long-term contamination.
What are the materials in an atomic bomb?
The raw materials usually consist of plutonium or some heavy radioactive element, extremely high-powered conventional explosives and the various timers and charges to detonate the conventional explosives.
Larger modern nukes actually use smaller nukes as primers to set off a larger nuclear reaction.
If a neutron or atomic or nuclear bomb hit juipter would another sun be created?
No. Juipter does not have what it takes to ever becoming a star. The amounts of gasses Jupiter has is nothing compared to even a small star it would likely just burn up quickly and wouldn't have any real effect on the rest of our solar system.
Why does an atomic bomb go off?
An atomic bomb goes off when a chain reaction of nuclear fission is triggered, causing a massive release of energy in the form of heat, light, and radiation. This chain reaction is initiated by compressing a critical mass of fissile material, such as uranium or plutonium, to a point where the atoms split and release more neutrons to continue the reaction.
What are the good things about chemical weapons?
Good for whom? The people using them might find them more useful to terrorise their enemies than are conventional weapons. They kill people but cause less physical damage to property than other weapons and are more easily created and less expensive than nuclear weapons.
The people being attacked by chemical weapons are often civilians who will experience no good from the use of these weapons, except the possible reactions of those appalled by their use.
What kind of explosion is ice bomb?
An ice bomb explosion typically involves a quick expansion of frozen water that generates a burst of ice and cold particles upon detonation. This type of explosion can cause damage and injury similar to traditional explosives, but with the added effect of freezing surfaces and objects within the blast radius.
Does fusion reaction occur in an atomic bomb?
Yes, fusion reactions occur in a hydrogen bomb, which is a type of nuclear bomb. The high temperatures and pressures generated by the fission reaction in the bomb can trigger fusion reactions between hydrogen isotopes. This fusion reaction releases a large amount of energy, contributing to the destructive power of the bomb.
