If a nuclear bomb was dropped on land would this have more devastating effects than in water?

Question

I appreciate that a NB going off in a stretch of water would probably cause tidal waves etc, but am i right in thinking it would only affect surrounding countries? If a NB went off on land wouldnt it affect the whole planet with the nuclear fallout?
Or am i totally wrong?

Answer 1

The nuclear products would circulate into all oceans. Either option is unthinkable.

Answer 2

I think despite the answers provided thus far the questioner has a point. You guys aren't stretching the technology beyond the limits of its current highly limited application. Look drones are set up to carry bombs, so they are iddy biddy aircraft. The idea behind the drone that would be useful in the current situation is the drone is that it is remotely piloted. Being remotely piloted it would be capable of high doses of radiation that would be unsafe for a human pilot. So can a helicopter be set up to work like a drone (remotely)? The answer is obviously yes. Now how this could be done is fairly simple, but there are some serious concerns that could make it unfeasible. 1. Are there things about flying a helicopter that don't translate well remotely? I have no idea, not a pilot. Possibilities include: Feel, maybe there is something about balance and response time in helicopter flight that doesn't translate well using gyroscopes and readouts. 2. Radiation interfering with the electronics, does this occur in such a degree that it cannot be overcome with shielding light enough for a helicopter? I've no idea. 3. Radiation interfering with the remote piloting signal. Does this occur? Probably. Is there a workaround using other frequencies or transmission methods? Almost certainly. Answer those three and find solutions for the ones that are real problems and then you've got it. Now the real rub is doing that in time for it to be useful. Don't give up on the idea though, you've seen a real need that could save some lives, make it happen before the next one of these and maybe it saves the day.

Answer 3

During the 50's & 60's when all the nuclear weapons testing was going on, it was determined that detonation of a nuclear device on or under water would be far more devastating than a land based detonatiion. Radioactive steam and fog would permeate everything near ground zero as well as being carried into the stratosphere to eventually precipitate out as radioactive rain. Water far enough from ground zero not to be vaporized would still be irradiated, with some of it being rendered radioactive. In addition, in shalow water you still get vaporization of seabed soils, and the associated particulate fallout.

Answer 4

Wrong. Totally. No tidal waves unless deep under water, then not much of one. The most gigantic nuclear bomb Russia exploded did not affect Russia, much less the world. Fallout widely disperses and settles sparsely, virtually harmlessly. A world nuclear war would be a different story, though. No. Korea, Iran, Pakistan, and Islamic terrorists are worrisome about that concern. (As is hillery!)

Answer 5

Besides the tidal wave, the bomb would vaporize a huge amount of water, making radioactive steam that would result in radioactive rain somewhere, and it would get into the groundwater, food chain and air supply, Land based fallout probably would stay on the land but would show up in crops etc. either way, there is no good pick

Answer 6

there are certain factors here... a nuke going off in water would result in instant vaporisation of water and well this could al so lead to rain with radioactive particles present in the water.
Marine llife would die out.
Water becomes stagnant and dirty because of intense decomposiion of fish, i.e. if the bacteria survive.
youu will have a mega size tsunami too.
on land you will have equally destructive effects but out here on land the cockroach has a chance...lol

Answer 7

You are totally wrong. You seem to forget that two nuclear weapons have been detonated over two large cities and the effects were largely limited to the cities involved.

Answer 8

nuclear bombs dont explode on land or the sea,,they detonate long before contact with either as the effect is more devasting when they explode at so many thousands of feet up

Answer 9

i don't have a clue.