# Does any part of an atomic or hydrogen bomb survive detonation or does it all just vaporize?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-any-part-of-an-atomic-or-hydrogen-bomb-survive-detonation-or-does-it-all-just-vaporize/745187>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 5, 2016, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-any-part-of-an-atomic-or-hydrogen-bomb-survive-detonation-or-does-it-all-just-vaporize/745187 "2016-02-05T00:47:02Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\
**Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-any-part-of-an-atomic-or-hydrogen-bomb-survive-detonation-or-does-it-all-just-vaporize/745187/21 "2016-02-05T16:36:52Z")

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Surface tension favors forming spheres from condensing materials in the absence of other forces. Soap bubbles are spheres for the same reason, absent winds. See [Shot tower - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shot_tower) for more about a manufacturing process that relies on this effect.  
As the vaporized metallic & mineral stuff in a nuclear fireball is expanding and cooling, it isn’t being thrust through the atmosphere. Instead the local atmosphere is being thrust along at more or less the same rate. Absent much net local wind, the vapor coalesces into spheres, then cools to a solid.

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**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\
**Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-any-part-of-an-atomic-or-hydrogen-bomb-survive-detonation-or-does-it-all-just-vaporize/745187/22 "2016-02-05T18:25:59Z")

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> [@LSLGuy](#):
>
> Surface tension favors forming spheres from condensing materials in the absence of other forces. Soap bubbles are spheres for the same reason, absent winds. See [Shot tower - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shot_tower) for more about a manufacturing process that relies on this effect.  
> As the vaporized metallic & mineral stuff in a nuclear fireball is expanding and cooling, it isn’t being thrust through the atmosphere. Instead the local atmosphere is being thrust along at more or less the same rate. Absent much net local wind, the vapor coalesces into spheres, then cools to a solid.

Note that [tektites](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tektite) – naturally-occurring glass formed during high-energy meteorite impacts – often have rounded or even spherical shapes.

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**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2016, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-any-part-of-an-atomic-or-hydrogen-bomb-survive-detonation-or-does-it-all-just-vaporize/745187/23 "2016-02-06T00:21:47Z")

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**LSL** and **Snail** : yes, i figured it was the standard fluid dynamics. Just interested if shaped-charge-like effects also were involved. Spalling I doubt.

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**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2016, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-any-part-of-an-atomic-or-hydrogen-bomb-survive-detonation-or-does-it-all-just-vaporize/745187/24 "2016-02-06T04:37:58Z")

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> [@Stealth\_Bragg](#):
>
> What were Oppenheimer and Groves doing at Ground Zero after the explosion? Presumably they were at great risk from radiation? What were they thinking?

Nuclear S’mores. Guaranteed to brighten anyone’s day.

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