can a nuclear bomb detonate in space with no oxygen?

Answer 1

I dunno, but it would be pretty cool to find out.

Answer 2

Yes it can.
The detonation of a nuclear takes place by putting together two chunks of radioactive material (Typically U-235) to reach the so called critical mass. When the chunk of uranium has reached the critical mass, the radiation from it will accelerate the fission so much that an explosion will occur. The explosion occurs because of a massive amount of heat which makes the radioactive metal melt and then evaporate, causing it to expand enormously.
This process does not depend on oxygen.
The only thing in a nuclear bomb that could possibly require oxygen is the two loads which force the two chunks of metal together. However this is normally solved by adding a nitrate or some other oxidizing agent which will release oxygen. This is done even when the bomb is not going to be fired in space to make waterproof.

There is also another kind of nuclear bomb, a so called "Dirty bomb" which will not explode because of radioactivity but because the uranium catches fire and spreads through the air. The purpose of such a bomb is to contaminate the environment around it. A "Dirty bomb" would likely not be possible to detonate (efficiently) without oxygen.

Answer 3

Yes, I believe it can. The basic idea is that you need to bring a certain amount of the nuclear fuel together to set off the bomb. They use conventional explosives like dynamite to bring together two smaller chunks of fuel, which start a chain reaction. If the explosive used can go off without oxygen, or if something else that didn't need oxygen (springs?) was used, then a nuclear bomb could definitely detonate in space.

Answer 4

Essentially yes. However the trigger mechanism for the initial nuclear fission reaction (which might be followed by fusion if it were an h-bomb) requires a conventional explosive to slam the nuclear material together (implode). One would assume that trigger contains an oxydizer of some sort and would be able to function in the vacuum of space much like a rocket engine would.

Once the trigger has fired, no further oxygen is needed.

Answer 5

Yes.

All explosions are basically matter that expand very fast. Regular explosions do so by burning something. The burning, which requires oxygen, heats up the fuel and changes it to a gas. The gas has to occupy a lot more space, and an explosion results.

However, nuclear weapons do NOT require oxygen, since they do not burn. Instead, The energy is obtained directly from the nuclear reactions in the bomb. As the reactions go out of control, a huge amount of energy and gaseous matter is sent out, creating an explosion.

Answer 6

A nuclear bomb (using Fusion - the H-Bomb) uses the same idea as the Sun. There's no need for oxygen. So, yes, a bomb would explode in space. in fact as long as there was something to make the fuse work (like a chemical combination), any type of bomb would work in space.

Answer 7

Yes, a nuclear explosion does NOT require oxygen. When a nuclear bomb explodes, it undergoes a process whereby the bomb's material undergoes a one of two possible processes. One process is called fission; the other process possible is called fusion. In fission, atoms are "split". In fusion, smaller particles called "nuclei" combine with larger particles. The element helium is released along with massive amounts of pure energy.

In both cases, (nuclear fission or nuclear fusion) the bomb's material is converted from matter directly to energy. It is this incredible release of energy that makes the nuclear bomb so destructive.

Explosive substances like dynamite are very dangerous chemical reactions, where chemical energy is released so quickly, it's an explosive release. Oxygen is required for the chemicals in dynamite to explode.

Answer 8

Yes, nuclear explosions take place all the time in space, when the stars explode. We call them supernovas.

In terms of a 'terrestrial' atom bomb, the explosion is caused by the breakup of the uranium atom and the release of energy that comes from that. No oxygen is necessary.

Answer 9

Sure-- the nuclear bomb is self-contained and doesn't need any air or oxygen to explode.

Answer 10

Nuclear bomb do not require any oxygen.

Answer 11

there's a treaty adversarial to putting guns in area- that being reported there are thousands of nuclear guns on earth. the basically way any of them might want to be detonated with a telephone is through some president finding out on it up and giving the order to apply them.