Test Your Nuclear IQ

Physics

Nuclear Physics

IEEE

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1. Which countries currently have nuclear weapons?

United States, Russia, Libya, France, China, Pakistan, Israel, Iran, North Korea

United States, Germany, France, Russia, Pakistan, United Kingdom, Brazil, Japan

United States, Japan, United Kingdom, Germany, Russia, France, China, Brazil

United States, China, United Kingdom, France, Russia, India, Pakistan, Israel, North Korea

United States, France, Italy, United Kingdom, Canada, Russia, China

The correct answer includes countries that currently possess nuclear weapons. These countries are the United States, China, United Kingdom, France, Russia, India, Pakistan, Israel, and North Korea.

Explanation

The correct answer includes countries that currently possess nuclear weapons. These countries are the United States, China, United Kingdom, France, Russia, India, Pakistan, Israel, and North Korea.

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About This Quiz

If you’re not a science buff, the term “nuclear” probably stands out because you’ll have heard about nuclear weapons in the news, or you’ll have heard about it on a television show. How much do you really know about it, however? Test your Nuclear IQ in this quiz and find... see moreout! see less

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2. How much time does the President of the United States have to decide whether to launch nuclear missiles if warning systems detect a possible attack?

Around 15 minutes

Half an hour

A few hours

The President of the United States has around 15 minutes to decide whether to launch nuclear missiles if warning systems detect a possible attack. This limited time frame is due to the urgency and time-sensitive nature of a potential nuclear attack. In such a scenario, quick decision-making is crucial to ensure the safety and security of the nation.

Explanation

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3. The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty:

Recognizes only five nuclear weapons states

Forbids non-nuclear weapons states from acquiring nuclear technology

Allows for peaceful civilian uses of nuclear energy

Calls for conventional (non-nuclear) military disarmament

All of the above

9. “THE TREATY ON THE NON-PROLIFERATION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS” (original text) accessed: [http://www.un.org/events/npt2005/npttreaty.html]

Explanation

9. “THE TREATY ON THE NON-PROLIFERATION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS” (original text) accessed: [http://www.un.org/events/npt2005/npttreaty.html]

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4. Which of the following has more nuclear weapons? ³

India

Pakistan

A Russian ICBM

A US nuclear submarine

Iran

3. An Ohio-class submarine holds 24 MIRVed Trident missiles, each holding several warheads. Federation of American Scientists—“SSBN-726 Ohio-Class FBM Submarines” accessed: [http://www.fas.org/programs/ssp/man/uswpns/navy/submarines/ssbn726_ohio.html]

Explanation

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5. What are the ways nuclear weapons could be delivered to their target?

Intercontinental, Medium-, and Short-Range Ballistic Missiles, and Submarine-launched missiles

Air-dropped bombs

Artillery

A and b only

All of the above

The correct answer is "all of the above". Nuclear weapons can be delivered to their target through various means, including intercontinental, medium-, and short-range ballistic missiles, submarine-launched missiles, air-dropped bombs, and artillery. This means that nuclear weapons can be transported and deployed through a combination of missile systems, aircraft, and ground-based artillery, providing multiple options for delivering them to their intended targets.

Explanation

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6. The United States has seriously considered using nuclear weapons:¹¹

Against North Vietnam during the Vietnam war and recently against Iran

Against North Korea and Chinese troops during the Korean War

Against China in 1958 during peacetime

Against Iraq during the Gulf War

All of the above

11. William Burr and Jeffrey Kimball, Ed., "Nixon White House Considered Nuclear Options Against North Vietnam, Declassified Documents Reveal," from National Security Archive Electronic Briefing Book No. 195, accessed [http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB195/index.htm]. The other answers are derived from “U.S. nuclear threats: Then and now,” Prepared by the Natural Resources Defense Council, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, September/October 2006

Explanation

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7. According to a study cited by Nuclear Darkness & Global Climate Change, how many Hiroshima-sized bombs does it take to induce “catastrophic climate change”? ⁴

100

1,000

5,000

10,000

20,000

4. “Nuclear Weapons & Global Climate Change: The Deadly Consequences of Nuclear War,” accessed: [http://www.nucleardarkness.org/nuclear/faq/]

Explanation

4. “Nuclear Weapons & Global Climate Change: The Deadly Consequences of Nuclear War,” accessed: [http://www.nucleardarkness.org/nuclear/faq/]

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8. What is the blast yield of the bomb that destroyed Hiroshima?¹

15 kilotons of TNT

50 kilotons of TNT

180 kilotons of TNT

370 kilotons of TNT

1 megaton of TNT

1. Los Alamos report: John Malik, “The Yields of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Nuclear Explosions,” 1985

Explanation

1. Los Alamos report: John Malik, “The Yields of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Nuclear Explosions,” 1985

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9. How much highly enriched uranium does it take to assemble a primitive nuclear weapon? ⁸

45 tons

20 tons

1 ton

500 kilograms

64 kilograms

8. “HEU as weapons material – a technical background,” briefing prepared by the Nuclear Threat Initiative, accessed: [www.nti.org/e_research/official_docs/norway/HEU_as_Weapons_Material.pdf]

Explanation

8. “HEU as weapons material – a technical background,” briefing prepared by the Nuclear Threat Initiative, accessed: [www.nti.org/e_research/official_docs/norway/HEU_as_Weapons_Material.pdf]

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10. After the US and Russia, the third largest nuclear power possesses around 300 nuclear weapons. How large is the complete United States nuclear inventory? ⁶

13,600

9,400

2,500

330

The correct answer is 9,400. This means that the complete United States nuclear inventory is estimated to be 9,400 nuclear weapons.

Explanation

The correct answer is 9,400. This means that the complete United States nuclear inventory is estimated to be 9,400 nuclear weapons.

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11. How many nuclear weapons are in the 4 most nuclear US states, New Mexico, Georgia, Washington, and Nevada respectively? ⁵

2450, 2000, 1685, and 1350

680, 545, 385, and 320

350, 220, 175, and 110

130, 74, 48, and 25

25, 18, 14, and 9

5. The Brookings Institution—“50 Facts About U.S. Nuclear Weapons,” accessed: [http://www.brookings.edu/projects/archive/nucweapons/50.aspx]

Explanation

5. The Brookings Institution—“50 Facts About U.S. Nuclear Weapons,” accessed: [http://www.brookings.edu/projects/archive/nucweapons/50.aspx]

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12. How many people died as a result of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki?¹⁵

Around 2400

Around 20,000

Around 80,000

Around 200,000

Around 1 million

15. Estimates range from 150,000 to 246,000. Radiation Effects Research Foundation—“FAQ.” Accessed: [http://www.rerf.or.jp/general/qa_e/qa1.html]

Explanation

15. Estimates range from 150,000 to 246,000. Radiation Effects Research Foundation—“FAQ.” Accessed: [http://www.rerf.or.jp/general/qa_e/qa1.html]

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13. What is the annual cost of nuclear weapons for the United States (2008)?¹²

$52.4 billion

$34.2 billion

$17 billion

$300.8 million

$126.9 million

12. Stephen I. Schwartz and Deepti Choubey, Nuclear Security Spending: Assessing Costs, Examining Priorities (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 2008), 6

Explanation

12. Stephen I. Schwartz and Deepti Choubey, Nuclear Security Spending: Assessing Costs, Examining Priorities (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 2008), 6

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14. Which of the following is larger:⁷

Total land area of the District of Columbia, Massachusetts, and New Jersey

Total fallout area of a 1 megaton hydrogen bomb

The Netherlands

Total land area of the largest National Park in the Lower 48 states (Death Valley National Park in CA)

Total known land area occupied by U.S. nuclear weapons bases and facilities

7. Nuclear information from The Brookings Institution—“50 Facts About U.S. Nuclear Weapons,” accessed: [http://www.brookings.edu/projects/archive/nucweapons/50.aspx], National Park information found at the National Park Service Website [http://www.nps.gov/aboutus/quickfacts.htm]

Explanation

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15. How many times did United States receive false alarms of impending nuclear attack?¹⁷

None

The date and location of the incidents are: October, 5, 1960, Thule; October 25, 1962, Volk Field Base; June 3 and 6, 1980, NORAD; January 10, 1984, Warren AFB. Jaya Tiwari and Cleve J. Gray, "US Nuclear Weapons Accidents," Center For Defense Information website, accessed: [http://www.cdi.org/Issues/NukeAccidents/Accidents.htm]

Explanation

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16. What is the blast yield of a warhead on the LGM-30 Minuteman, the current land-based ICBM used by the United States? ²

340 kilotons of TNT

250 kilotons of TNT

130 kilotons of TNT

65 kilotons of TNT

20 kilotons of TNT

2. "Complete List of All U.S. Nuclear Weapons," globalsecurity.org, accessed: [http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/systems/nuke-list.htm]

Explanation

2. "Complete List of All U.S. Nuclear Weapons," globalsecurity.org, accessed: [http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/systems/nuke-list.htm]

Submit

17. All but the following countries are members of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty:¹⁰

Pakistan, India, Israel, North Korea

North Korea, Iran, Pakistan

United States, Russia, China, United Kingdom, France

United States, Pakistan, India

Israel, North Korea, Egypt

10. Federation of American Scientists—“Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons [NPT]” accessed: [http://www.fas.org/nuke/control/npt/]

Explanation

10. Federation of American Scientists—“Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons [NPT]” accessed: [http://www.fas.org/nuke/control/npt/]

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18. "Saving American lives" is the most common justification for using the atomic bombs at the end of World War II. In US military documents, the maximum American casualty estimate for an invasion of Japan was:¹⁴

46,000

220,000

500,000

1.7 million

2 million

14. Gar Alperovitz, “Historians Reassess: Did We Need To Drop The Bomb?” Hiroshima’s Shadow (Connecticut: Pamphleteer’s Press, 1998), 12

Explanation

14. Gar Alperovitz, “Historians Reassess: Did We Need To Drop The Bomb?” Hiroshima’s Shadow (Connecticut: Pamphleteer’s Press, 1998), 12

Submit

19. How many US nuclear weapons were lost in accidents and never recovered?¹⁶

16. The Brookings Institution—“50 Facts About U.S. Nuclear Weapons,” accessed: [http://www.brookings.edu/projects/archive/nucweapons/50.aspx]

Explanation

16. The Brookings Institution—“50 Facts About U.S. Nuclear Weapons,” accessed: [http://www.brookings.edu/projects/archive/nucweapons/50.aspx]

Submit

20. Most historians agree that the following was the most significant factor in Japan’s decision to surrender during World War II:¹³

The destruction of Japan’s merchant marine

The dropping of nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki

The firebombing of Japanese cities

Entry of the Soviet Union into the war

The US invasion in preparation

13. Gar Alperovitz, “Historians Reassess: Did We Need To Drop The Bomb?” Hiroshima’s Shadow (Connecticut: Pamphleteer’s Press, 1998), 8

Explanation

13. Gar Alperovitz, “Historians Reassess: Did We Need To Drop The Bomb?” Hiroshima’s Shadow (Connecticut: Pamphleteer’s Press, 1998), 8

Submit

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Jan 12, 2010

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Which countries currently have nuclear weapons?

How much time does the President of the United States have to decide...

The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty:

Which of the following has more nuclear weapons? 3

What are the ways nuclear weapons could be delivered to their target?

The United States has seriously considered using nuclear weapons:11

According to a study cited by Nuclear Darkness & Global Climate...

What is the blast yield of the bomb that destroyed Hiroshima?1

How much highly enriched uranium does it take to assemble a primitive...

After the US and Russia, the third largest nuclear power possesses...

How many nuclear weapons are in the 4 most nuclear US states, New...

How many people died as a result of the bombing of Hiroshima and...

What is the annual cost of nuclear weapons for the United States...

Which of the following is larger:7

How many times did United States receive false alarms of impending...

What is the blast yield of a warhead on the LGM-30 Minuteman, the...

All but the following countries are members of the Nuclear...

"Saving American lives" is the most common justification for using the...

How many US nuclear weapons were lost in accidents and never...

Most historians agree that the following was the most significant...