Can a nuke even blow up in space?

[Dorian Breh]

Like in The Avengers, or BvS: Dawn of Justice, or Independence Day, can a nuke detonate in space where there's no oxygen?

I guess the energy released won't look like a fireball, but it'll still be massive heat radtion n shyt, right? Or will it not detonate at all?


Edit: https://history.nasa.gov/conghand/nuclear.htm

"If a nuclear weapon is exploded in a vacuum-i. e., in space-the complexion of weapon effects changes drastically: First, in the absence of an atmosphere, blast disappears completely. ... There is no longer any air for the blast wave to heat and much higher frequency radiation is emitted from the weapon itself."

 

[OfTheCross]

short answer, no.

but I'm not a scientist


maybe they can...i mean, stars blow up in space, why not bombs?

 

[Luke Cage]

What makes you think there can't be fireballs in space?

 

[Gold]

Why would a nuke require atmoshperic oxygen to explode ???

 

[old pig]

no, I’ve tried.

 

[Amare's Right Hook]

Look at the sun, so yes.

 

[Darth Nubian]

What makes you think there can't be fireballs in space?

Fire is the visible form of oxidation. Oxidation is the loss of electrons is an atom, ion, molecule. In short, since space is a vast nothingness, there wouldn't be a readily supply of matter necessary to produce a fireball.

Sincerely,
Science breh.

 

[Darth Nubian]

Why would a nuke require atmoshperic oxygen to explode ???

Breaking atomic bonds creates heat. Heating oxygen creates fire. There isnt any oxygen in space so there wont be any fire.

 

[xCivicx]

That question is deeper than most people realize

 

[Luke Cage]

Breaking atomic bonds creates heat. Heating oxygen creates fire. There isnt any oxygen in space so there wont be any fire.

Space is not entirely devoid of oxygen. It's just not enough oxygen for a human to breath.

 

[Luke Cage]

Fire is the visible form of oxidation. Oxidation is the loss of electrons is an atom, ion, molecule. In short, since space is a vast nothingness, there wouldn't be a readily supply of matter necessary to produce a fireball.

Sincerely,
Science breh.

So how do Space shuttles move themselves around while in space if they can't make fire via jet propulsion?

 

[CouldntBeMeTho]

Stars ARE nukes brehs

 

[analog]

Interesting question

I assume one would include whatever elements necessary in the bomb itself so it can operate in space.

Similar to a rocket ship, and the fuel it burns to propel itself through space

 

[CouldntBeMeTho]

Breaking atomic bonds creates heat. Heating oxygen creates fire. There isnt any oxygen in space so there wont be any fire.

There's plasma tho

 

[Raw Sauce]

Depends on what you mean by blow up. There will be a bright light along an enormous emission of heat and radiation that will travel farther than it would in our atmosphere. But there would be no concussive shockwave or fire without air.