Assume we have a city with a population well over 100,000 people (like Hiroshima). Suppose a nuke was dropped on it (like Hiroshima). Now, if the bomb exploded on the ground or within 100 metres off the ground, which of the 2 immediate effects of the bomb would kill people faster, the bombs extraordinary shock wave that pulvarises internal organs, or the heat and fire from the bomb that will disintegrate humans? I'm and under the strong impression that the shock wave is what will kill people fastest.

Within 1 km of epicenter

Technically shouldn't the heat do the damage faster, since it'll be travelling at the speed of light? Then the shockwave would hit, blasting everything apart. But I'd think the first thing to do any damage would be the intense electromagnetic radiation, right? Perhaps then the shockwave, then the fire within a certain area. But...I'm just sacrificing myself to looking stupid once the smart physics people get here.

Walls block heat.
Shockwave blasts walls.
Shockwave.

Walls don't do a very good job of blocking this amount of heat...

I still say shockwave wins.

It depends on your distance from the epicenter.

I'm far from an expert, but I've always been under the impression that an airburst explosion (where it's detonated before impact) was by and large more devastating. Something to do with the explosion being propelled outwards rather than towards the ground.

*shrugs*

I guess it all comes down to what you mean by faster: Do you mean MORE people in LESS time, or do you mean which one kills people FIRST.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, First Blood or Top score?

The shockwave in an Airburst hits the ground, bounces and is then magnified by the secondary shockwave.

Which kills people in the direct range first.

The heat does the damage first, the shock wave follows behind it.

The shockwave killed far more people than the heat at both Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Immediately, and due to collapsed buildings. The "EMP" you see in movies is less than 1% of the bomb's damaging effect and doesn't do a whole lot to people. The initial blast is more than 50% of the bomb's effect, and the remaining 49% is divided between the initial radiation and contaminated debris (fallout).

At least that's what it said in my NBC warfare manual.

Seems like no one can agree, just like me and my friends. I was watching a documentary, and it said that the flames reached up to 8000 degree Fahrenheit in close proximity to the bomb. So would that be hot enough to demolish people before a shock wave? How fast do each travel? Im assuming both would tear you apart.

Look through here.

It's an old article, and unfortunately this was the only copy I could come across of it. It might help you better understand exactly what happens with ground bursts and air bursts.

i think i agree with this guy, i havn't seen anything on tv about Hiroshima in a long time but what i do remember is that the people were vaporized so quickly right near the explosion that they left little people shaped searings on the surviving materials, and it made kind of a grotesque "photo" of what they had been doing and where they had been standing when the blast went off.

basically, that would mean they would have had to have been walking along none the wiser when alla sudden they got fried and they were little burn marks on the road. if the heat had got them they woulda just been burned up and if the explosion got them, they woulda just flew apart. the only way u could have that picture or burn or whatever it was leaving that inmprint behind was if the radiation got them before the other two. also:



like i said, the images were near the center of the explosion where this guy says his nbc manual told him the 1% of damage from the emp happens. and since it would have to happen BEFORE the other two to get the images of people just walkin around and bein themselves rather than bein little burnt or blown up bitsies, then i guess the FIRST thing in the blast to kill anybody would be the EMP.

but maybe im wrong.:P

A proper airburst detonation is a few kilometers above ground, where the fireball doesn't touch the ground or water. This allows for maximum damage effect from the shockwaves.
A ground-level detonation is basically only good for area denial due to the huge fallout effect.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rI_ojEPaRDU

Shockwave.

but u cant SEE radiation, so theres no way a video can show u that. besides, something melted the paint off those cars before the blast hit them, and the house was on fire before the shock knocked it down. so though it doesnt show u anything about the radiation it does show u that the heat comes before the blast. honestly, i think that film actually portrayed the showckwave as coming last.

The article roach posted is classy.

It reminds me how awesome nukes are.

(as i discussed in the pot, awe-related words are used too much and become crappy... nukes are awesome, deal with it).

I remember when someone quoted that long-arse article way back when. Was an interesting read. And still is. And says that basically, if you're anywhere near a bomb like that, kiss your arse goodbye.

Hmm. This thread makes me want want Fallout 3 all the more, even if it is being made by Bethesda now. Also, in the vid Warlockmish posted, how do the cameramen we get to see in one of the shots manage to survive? They're too far away, or what?

Amen!

My god man. YOU not U. Sorry that just bugs the hell outa me.

r u 4 reel?

If you've never seen Trinity and Beyond: The Atomic Bomb Movie, you need to. It's basically a lot of footage of explosions from the decades of nuclear and atomic testing, narrated by William Shatner, and accompanied by an original, symphony musical score. And, as spe said, nuclear bombs are awesome.