How many nukes are there in the world 2021?

The Federation of American Scientists (FAS) estimates approximately 4,495 nuclear warheads, including 1,625 deployed offensive strategic warheads (with 960 in storage), 1,910 non-strategic warheads, and 1,760 additional retired warheads awaiting dismantlement, as of January 2021.

In what conditions are nuclear weapons stored?

Stored Nuclear Weapons Deployed strategic and nonstrategic weapons are mounted on missiles or are stored at air bases for nuclear-capable aircraft. Spare weapons may be stored at ICBM or SLBM bases and reserve strategic and nonstrategic weapons at central storage facilities.

Why do nuclear weapons explode faster than the speed of sound?

When a nuclear weapon is surrounded only by air, lethal blast and thermal effects proportionally scale much more rapidly than lethal radiation effects as explosive yield increases. This bubble is faster than the speed of sound.

What are the main challenges in developing nuclear weapons?

A major challenge in all nuclear weapon designs is to ensure that a significant fraction of the fuel is consumed before the weapon destroys itself. The amount of energy released by fission bombs can range from the equivalent of just under a ton to upwards of 500,000 tons (500 kilotons) of TNT (4.2 to 2.1 × 10 8 GJ).

How does the blast rate of a nuclear weapon depend on altitude?

As a general rule, the blast fraction is higher for low yield weapons. Furthermore, it decreases at high altitudes because there is less air mass to absorb radiation energy and convert it into blast. This effect is most important for altitudes above 30 km, corresponding to less than 1 percent of sea-level air density.

What are the effects of nuclear explosions on the immediate vicinity?

The effects of a nuclear explosion on its immediate vicinity are typically much more destructive and multifaceted than those caused by conventional explosives. In most cases, the energy released from a nuclear weapon detonated within the lower atmosphere can be approximately divided into four basic categories: