nuclear explosion
Fission chain reaction
A nuclear explosion is a violent release of energy from nuclear reactions—either fission (splitting heavy atoms) or fusion (combining light atoms).
The detonation produces a fireball, shockwave, intense radiation, and characteristic mushroom cloud.
Nuclear explosions occur as weapons (Hiroshima), tests, or rarely as accidents.
The scale dwarfs conventional explosives: yields are measured in kilotons or megatons.
Distinctive nuclear blast formation
- fireballLuminous meteor or explosion
- blast wavePressure surge from detonation
- shockwavePropagating pressure disturbance
- flashBrief burst of light
yield · megaton · kiloton · ground zero · hypocenter · airburst · flash burn · pressure wave
Nuclear breakup releasing energy
- fusionJoining into unity
- chain reactionSelf-sustaining causal sequence
- critical massThreshold for self-sustaining reaction
- implosionViolent collapse inward
compression · plutonium · uranium · deuterium · tritium · hydrogen bomb · primary · secondary
Utter, complete destruction
- obliterationTotal destruction or erasure
- destructionAct of completely ruining
- wastelandUninhabitable barren region
- ruinsDecayed structural remains
aftermath · casualties · firestorm · conflagration · blast radius · overpressure · leveling · incineration
Munition's explosive section
- ICBMOcean-spanning nuclear delivery system
- missileSelf-guided airborne weapon
- strategicDeliberately planned for advantage
- tacticalStrategically planned
first strike · second strike · deterrence · MAD · arms race · proliferation · silo · submarine
Contaminated particles descending post-blast
- contaminationIntroduction of impurities
- isotopesAtomic number twins
- cesium-137Radioactive fission byproduct
- strontium-90Radioactive isotope from fission
iodine-131 · black rain · fallout shelter · half-life · dosimeter · exclusion zone · plume · particulates
Highest-frequency electromagnetic radiation
- alpha particlesEmitted helium nuclei
- beta particlesElectrons from radioactive decay
- ionizing radiationElectron-displacing electromagnetic energy
- flash blindnessVision loss from intense light
radiation sickness · dose · roentgen · gray · EMP · electromagnetic pulse
mushroom cloud
Distinctive nuclear blast formation
- fireballLuminous meteor or explosion
- blast wavePressure surge from detonation
- shockwavePropagating pressure disturbance
flash · yield · megaton · kiloton · ground zero · hypocenter · airburst · flash burn · pressure wave · vaporization
fission
Nuclear breakup releasing energy
- fusionJoining into unity
- chain reactionSelf-sustaining causal sequence
- critical massThreshold for self-sustaining reaction
implosion · compression · plutonium · uranium · deuterium · tritium · hydrogen bomb · primary · secondary · tamper
annihilation
Utter, complete destruction
- obliterationTotal destruction or erasure
- destructionAct of completely ruining
- wastelandUninhabitable barren region
ruins · aftermath · casualties · firestorm · conflagration · blast radius · overpressure · leveling · incineration · shadow
warhead
Munition's explosive section
- ICBMOcean-spanning nuclear delivery system
- missileSelf-guided airborne weapon
- strategicDeliberately planned for advantage
tactical · first strike · second strike · deterrence · MAD · arms race · proliferation · silo · submarine · bomber
radioactive fallout
Contaminated particles descending post-blast
- contaminationIntroduction of impurities
- isotopesAtomic number twins
- cesium-137Radioactive fission byproduct
strontium-90 · iodine-131 · black rain · fallout shelter · half-life · dosimeter · exclusion zone · plume · particulates · deposition
gamma rays
Highest-frequency electromagnetic radiation
- alpha particlesEmitted helium nuclei
- beta particlesElectrons from radioactive decay
- ionizing radiationElectron-displacing electromagnetic energy
flash blindness · radiation sickness · dose · roentgen · gray · EMP · electromagnetic pulse
- Nuclear EventsChernobyl, Fukushima, Three Mile Island, meltdown, core meltdown
- nuclear radiationradiation exposure, radiation poisoning, radioactive isotopes, fallout, cesium-137
- Nuclear Testsunderground test, atmospheric test, weapons test, Trinity test, Castle Bravo
- nuclear physicsfission, neutron, proton, reactor, atomic number
nuclear explosionfirecracker
Small celebratory explosive device
pop · fizzle · dud · hand grenade · spark
nuclear, explosion, nucleus, nuclei, nucleic, nucleotide, thermonuclear, nuking, explode