The ExplosionWhen a nuclear bomb is dropped, the area undergoes intense amounts of blast, thermal pulse, neutrons, x- and gamma rays, radiation, electromagnetic pulse, and ionization of the upper atmosphere. All of these things contribute to the massive destruction that the place undergoes. Within the immediate area of the blast, intense amounts of heat are released, topping over 10,000,000 degrees centigrade. At these hot temperatures, the energy is converted into electromagnetic radiation. As the radiation (usually soft x-ray) is absorbed by the surrounding air mass within a few feet, it creates a hot mass of air that scientists call a fireball. Instantaneously, the fireball expands, and by 10 seconds, widens to a distance of 2200 meters, while getting taller at a rate of 100 m/s. The rapid expansion compresses the surrounding air, creating an strong blast wave that radiates from the point of impact.
After the fireball begins to reach its maximum diameter, it cools, and can no longer emit thermal radiation. Its width contracts but the mass of air continues to rise, and the heated particles start to condense. This forms the mushroom cloud that is commonly associated with nuclear bombs. The damage done by a nuclear bomb is dependent on where it exploded, which scientists classify into air bursts, surface bursts, subsurface bursts, and high-altitude bursts. Regardless of where the explosion occurs, nuclear weapons still cause a great amount of destruction. The Tzar Bomba, which was 2 miles above the surface, still created a crater on the ground underneath where it exploded. |
The devastation in Hiroshima after an atomic bomb was dropped in 1945. Image taken from http://www.warhistoryonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/article-2311627-02F394F50000044D-112_638x476.jpg
A diagram of a nuclear bomb. Image taken http://www.cddc.vt.edu/host/atomic/images/enw77b2s.gif
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