atomic bomb?

Question

can an atomic bomb like the one used on hiroshima explode when dropped into water?

Answer 1

Hell ya... Try to find a video clip of it... There was a video made by the US government back in the 50's of an underwater nuclear test... You gotta see it to believe it...

Answer 2

The bomb that was dropped on hiroshima Never acctually made contact with the ground at all It had a pressure switch it exploded above the city. Thier for a bomb like the one that was droped on hiroshima Would never make it to the water so the answer is no

Answer 3

Yes, they can still explode. The mechanism of an atomic bomb involves a small bomb explosion inside that initiates the uncontrolled nuclear reaction that results into the extremely large explosion. The bomb dropped in Japan were actually targeted to drop on a bridge, over a river to 'dampen' the effects when the bomb plunges into the water. Nonetheless, the effects were still devastating and are still felt even today.

Answer 4

The Hiroshima bomb used a cannon mechanism where a mass of enriched uranium was forced down a tube and into another mass of enriched uranium causing a critcal mass chain reaction...boom. There is no reason that a properly constructed bomb using similiar technology could not be dropped into the water and exploded.

One responder incorrectly stated that an underwater explosion is less powerful than an atomospheric explosion. Not true. In fact the underwater expolsion tested at Bikini Island was mush more devastating to the mock navy positioned in the test zone than a similiar atmospheric test.

Answer 5

It *can*, provided the trigger mechanism's electronics is not shorted out by the water. An atomic reaction can easily take place under water.

According to the Wikipedia article, one fear of that bomb design was that an aircraft crash into the water could trigger a short which might also cause the bomb to detonate.

Answer 6

An underwater explosion, also known as an UNDEX, is an explosion beneath the surface of water. The type of explosion may be chemical or nuclear. They are categorized in accordance with their depth beneath the water's surface, because this has a strong influence on their effects.

The effects that an underwater explosion will have at a particular place depends on a number of parameters; the energy of the explosion, the depth of the explosion, the depth of the water from the surface to the sea bottom, and the distance from the place to the explosion.[1]

Underwater explosions are categorized by the depth of the explosion. Shallow underwater explosions are those where the crater formed at the water's surface is large in comparison with the depth of the explosion. Deep underwater explosions are those where the crater is small in comparison with the depth of the explosion

Answer 7

YES. The atomic chain reaction is affected, but it is not stopped. In fact, the effect is negligible; hence the underwater testing during the 1950's.

The chain reaction involved in an atomic explosion is affected by submersion in water, but the effect depends on the type of water (sea water, fresh water, mineral content, etc.).

Answer 8

i believe so
if you are wondering whether it would create a tsunami or anything, the answer is no... yeah if it exploded close to sure they might get a few big waves and stuff but the force of a tsunami or even any earthquake is very stronger then the force of a nuclear bomb

Answer 9

underwater testing of atomic bombs was done frequently during the 1950's

Answer 10

Yes very much so there was a test done bikini atoll was done on a island. they also did another blast in the water nearby. Christmas island was another fallout.