This is the BOMB to worry about

Subject Zero Science
23 Dec 202011:04

Summary

TLDROn October 30th, 1961, the Soviet Union detonated the Tsar Bomba, the most powerful thermonuclear weapon ever, with a 50-megaton yield. The script delves into the destructive power of neutrons, comparing their energy release to TNT and atomic bombs. It explores the hypothetical scenario of using neutronium, a substance so dense it could cause catastrophic damage, equivalent to millions of Tsar Bombas, capable of annihilating the Earth's surface multiple times over.

Takeaways

  • 🔬 On October 30th, 1961, the Soviet Union detonated the most powerful thermonuclear weapon ever, the Tsar Bomba, with a yield of 50 megatons.
  • 🌍 The Tsar Bomba's explosion was visible up to 900 kilometers away and could cause third-degree burns at a distance of 100 kilometers.
  • 💥 The energy released by a single neutron is 1 million electron volts, which is significant when accumulated in large quantities.
  • 🧪 TNT is the standard for measuring explosive power, with one kilogram of TNT having an energy density of 4.2 megajoules.
  • ⚖️ The energy released by the first nuclear bombs, Little Boy and Fat Man, is equivalent to 15 and 21 kilotons of TNT, respectively.
  • 🌡 The heat from these bombs could power thousands of homes for a year, demonstrating the scale of their destructive power.
  • 🌌 Neutron stars are believed to be composed of an incredibly dense substance called neutronium, which has weak interaction with matter.
  • 🔮 If 1 kilogram of neutrons were to decay, it would release an energy equivalent to 11.5 kilotons of TNT, comparable to the first nuclear bombs.
  • 🌊 A teaspoon of neutronium is estimated to weigh 5.5 trillion kilograms, highlighting the extreme density of this hypothetical material.
  • 💥 The hypothetical explosion of a teaspoon of neutronium could cause damage equivalent to millions of Tsar Bombas, illustrating the immense potential energy of neutron stars.
  • 🌍 The energy released from such an explosion could destroy the entire surface of the planet multiple times over within the first minute, emphasizing the catastrophic potential of neutronium.

Q & A

  • What was the code name of the most powerful thermonuclear weapon ever created?

    -The code name of the most powerful thermonuclear weapon ever created was 'Ivan', also known as the Tsar Bomba.

  • What was the yield of the Tsar Bomba in megatons?

    -The yield of the Tsar Bomba was an unparalleled 50 megatons.

  • How far could the light and sound of the Tsar Bomba explosion be seen and heard?

    -The light and sound of the Tsar Bomba explosion could be seen and heard from up to 900 kilometers away.

  • What was the radius within which the Tsar Bomba could annihilate anything?

    -The Tsar Bomba could annihilate anything within a 35-kilometer radius.

  • How far away could the heat from the Tsar Bomba explosion cause third-degree burns?

    -The heat from the Tsar Bomba explosion could cause third-degree burns as far as 100 kilometers from ground zero.

  • What is the half-life of a free neutron?

    -The half-life of a free neutron is about 611 seconds, or a little over 10 minutes.

  • What is the energy released by one neutron in its half-life?

    -One single neutron releases 1 million electron volts in its half-life.

  • What is the energy density of one kilogram of TNT in megajoules?

    -One kilogram of TNT has an energy density of 4.2 megajoules.

  • How much energy in kilotons of TNT is equivalent to the energy released by a single kilogram of neutrons?

    -The energy released by a single kilogram of neutrons is equivalent to 11.5 kilotons of TNT.

  • How dense is neutronium, and what does it weigh in kilograms for a teaspoon-sized amount?

    -Neutronium is extremely dense, with 5 cubic centimeters weighing 5.5 trillion kilograms, equivalent to 900 pyramids of Giza on a teaspoon.

  • What would be the diameter and depth of a crater created by a teaspoon of neutronium if all its energy were released through impact?

    -A teaspoon of neutronium would create a crater 675 kilometers in diameter and 90 kilometers deep if all its energy were released through impact.

  • How long would it take for the remaining energy of a teaspoon of neutronium to be released after the initial explosion?

    -It would take 14 and a half hours for the remaining energy of a teaspoon of neutronium to be released after the initial explosion.

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Related Tags
Nuclear HistoryTsar BombaNeutron StarsExplosive PowerThermo-NuclearAtomic EnergyMega-TNTNeutronium ImpactDoomsday WeaponScience Fiction