why has a nuclear weapon never gone off accidentally,it happens with conventional bombs?

Answer 1

Nuclear weapons are specifically designed to prevent accidental explosions. For example, the detonating charge and the nuclear material are kept separate, and are not assembled until the device is loaded into the delivery system.

It also takes a certain sequence of events for a nuclear device to be triggered, and this sequence of events varies in both length and complexity depending upon the type of device.

There is absolutely NO WAY you can have an "accidental" explosion with a nuclear device. It can only be done intentionally.

ADDED: There's a difference between an "accidental" explosion and a "premature" explosion.

If a nuclear device suffers a "premature" explosion, the design of the device will prevent it from being a nuclear explosion; the detonating charge may go off, but the explosion itself will not be nuclear.

As for my sources, well, all I can say is this: take a good, hard look at my profile, and then read between the lines.

Trust me, I know what I'm talking about.

Answer 2

A nuclear bomb CAN prematurely explode. However, during this explosion it will not enter the nuclear explosion realm. There are certain conditions which must be met to create a nuclear explosion (sealed, HIGH pressure container is a big one, along with fueling energy to start the reaction).

Nukes are not armed as a general practice, and in fact, they don't arm until less than a second before striking their targets. Any premature explosion will spread radioactive material which will need to be removed and cleaned up, but it will not blast a three mile diameter circle like it would if it had armed (and to be completely honest, the detonation of a nuke that doesn't react isn't that impressive anyway)

Answer 3

There are intergal safties built into nuclear weapons to prevent such accidents. It is not true that the explosives and nuclear materials are not kept together; there are all assembled in the same case when they are constructed. Weapons must recieve several, specific electical impulses to arm.

Answer 4

Nukes are rather complicated and there detonators have to go off in the right order or you get nothing just a mess. The bomb is also electrically fired by several detonators that all have to fire in the right order. This prevents cooking off or electric pulses from prematuring a nuke. Equally a collision won't set one off either as the explosives can only be set off by electricity and again it all must go in order or no big bang.

Answer 5

I beleive nuclear weopons are not armed until they are ready to use them...precaution taken to prevent the accidental misfire ..they are never live like conventional weapons

Answer 6

because the bombs are not armed to explode until right before it happens.