Essay on Environmental Consequences of Nuclear Weapons Use

nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Nuclear weapons have a long-lasting and devastating effect on the world for many years after an initial explosion. Fallout from United States atmospheric testing from 1945 to 1963 killed an estimated 70,000 to 800,000 people worldwide. People who have worked in the early nuclear weapons programs have been exposed to significant amounts of radiation (Schwartz 395). nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;When a nuclear weapon goes off, there are four basic types of explosions: air bursts, surface blast, subsurface burst, and high altitude burst. An air burst occurs when a weapon is detonated at a height so the fireball does not reach the surface of the earth (Effects Nuclear Explosions). When the shock wave hits the†¦show more content†¦A blast like this could create an intense electromagnetic pulse (EMP) which will destroy anything electronic (Effects Nuclear Explosions). The blast wave is formed from very high temperatures and moves away from the center of the ground-zero. While expanding, the peaks pressure decreases, and the propagation goes down from the supersonic speed. Most of the destruction from a nuclear blast is from the blast effects. The range of the blast will determine the explosive yield of the weapon (5.0 Effects Nuclear Weapons). There are many sources for nuclear radiation such as initial radiation, residual radiation, and fallout. About 5% of all of the energy from a nuclear explosion are in the form of initial radiation. Intensity from the blast will go down very rapidly with distance from the blast, because of the large area fallout will travel. Residual radiation comes in three forms: fission products, unfissioned nuclear material, and neutron-induced activity. There are more than 300 fission products. Most of these have very short half-lives. However, some of them have half-lives that can be month or years. Unfissioned nuclear material would be some uranium or plutonium that does not undergo fission and are dispersed from the explosion. Neutron-induced activity happens when nuclei are exposed to a major change of neutron radiation, thus making them radioactive. A small area around ground-zero would be the most likelyShow MoreRelatedNuclear Proliferation Is The Global Spread Of Nuclear Weapons And Technology1748 Words   |  7 PagesNuclear proliferation is the global spread of nuclear weapons and technology. At the end of World War II, the spread of nuclear weapons was happening at an accelerated rate. Countries like the Soviet Union, United Kingdom, France, and China were developing nuclear weapons against the wishes of the United States. In an attempt to stop proliferation, a group of scientists peacefully protested the development of nuclear weapons by sending a petition to the United Nations. 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