Can a nuke destroy Mount Everest?

The detonation of a large modern nuke on the side of Mount Everest would not level the mountain, there is just simply too much granite. When international laws allowed nuclear test they were done underground and cause significant local break up of rocks and earthquakes, but did not create mountain sized craters.

What would happen if a nuke hit a mountain?

If a modern powerful thermonuclear weapon were detonated on impact, it would blow a huge crater into the top of the mountain, and throw thousands of tons of radioactive dust into the atmosphere and stratosphere. It would go all over the world.

What area can a nuclear bomb destroy?

Calculations demonstrate that one megaton of fission, typical of a two megaton H-bomb, will create enough beta radiation to blackout an area 400 kilometres (250 mi) across for five minutes. Careful selection of the burst altitudes and locations can produce an extremely effective radar-blanking effect.

How much TNT would it take to destroy Mount Everest?

That’s the explosive equivalent of 60 million tons of TNT.

What happens if a nuclear bomb goes off underwater?

Unless it breaks the water surface while still a hot gas bubble, an underwater nuclear explosion leaves no trace at the surface but hot, radioactive water rising from below. Vast amounts of energy are absorbed by phase change (water becomes steam at the fireball boundary).

How much TNT does it take to destroy a country?

There are simply too many variables in how the TNT could be positioned to provide a specific answer, but yes, 30,000,000 tons of TNT could certainly destroy an entire city. In fact, any country could theoretically be destroyed using just 30 million tons of TNT…

Can a nuclear bomb be carried over a mountain?

Radiation, however, is a different story. The radiation can, and will be carried over the mountain by winds, the blast itself, etc. These days, however, nuclear bombs are not meant to detonate on impact.

Can a nuclear weapon destroy a mountain of granite?

A mountain of bedrock or granite is very difficult to destroy, while a volcanic one of cinder is much easier to put a dent in. It also depends on where you explode that weapon.

What happens on the other side of a 10 Mt bomb?

So to answer your question: anyone who is on the other side of the mountain from a 10 MT blast will notice what seems to be a sunrise on the ground on the other side of the mountain. They may notice a strange short-lived puff of wind and hear a distant rumbling after a while.

How tall is Mount Fuji compared to a nuclear bomb?

For arguments sake lets say this mountain is similar to Mount Fuji in Japan, similar height, similar prominence. Something like a 10 megaton bomb, set off at ground level at the base of the mountain. Firstly, what protection would the mountain provide if it was between you and the explosion.