What are Nuclear Weapons?

Nuclear weapons are defined as: "An explosive device whose destructive potential derives from the release of energy that accompanies the splitting or combining of atomic nuclei.”⁽¹⁾ Unlike other common explosives, nuclear weapons cause many lasting effects. Other explosives are dangerous because of their initial shock. Nuclear weapons are dangerous in two ways. 1. The initial shock of the blast 2. The nuclear fallout⁽²⁾ which remains for years and is just as deadly. The shock of the blast is the same as any other explosives. The nuclear fallout however is where the lasting effects come from. Some of its main effects are: contaminating once fertile soil, poisoning the animal food chain and it causes disease to peoples children.