IRL 13, February 11, 2010

URL; http://www.skeptically.org/onwars/id22.html

This is an informative article describing the effects, both short term and long term, of nuclear explosions. Stating that the effects are the blast, thermal radiation, prompt ionizing radiation as well as the more long term effects such as radioactive fallout, this is very consistent with what we have learned in class about nuclear explosions. Here it goes into detail about what the explosive blast causes to happen, which is a change in air pressure, which then can crush objects, and the high winds can knock tall buildings down. Most of the damage comes from the explosive blast, however 35% of the energy of a nuclear explosion comes off in the form of a burst of thermal radiation, of heat. Since the thermal radiation travels at the speed of light, there is going to be a flash of light that can be permanently blinding. Resulting from higher intensities of heat are skin burns, as well. Direct radiation is what causes cancer, and fallout radiation is the greatest long term effect. All of this information adds value to what we have learned in class because I can clearly see exactly why people were afraid of dealing with nuclear bombs and why there was a fear of being bombed at any time during the Cold War. Who would want to have to deal with any of these effects? Not me! The biggest limitation with this source is that it does not give specific examples of places where these effects happened as a result of nuclear explosions - hearing of actual examples would strengthen my understanding of their severity.