Upshot-Knothole Annie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Upshot–Knothole Annie |
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| Information | |
| Country | United States |
| Test series | Operation Upshot–Knothole |
| Test site | Nevada Test Site |
| Date | March 17, 1953 |
| Test type | Atmospheric |
| Yield | 16 kt |
| Navigation | |
| Previous test | Ivy King |
| Next test | Upshot-Knothole Nancy |
Upshot–Knothole Annie was a special test of a nuclear weapon by the United States. It was part of a bigger project called Operation Upshot–Knothole. This test happened at the Nevada Test Site on March 17, 1953. What made it unique was that it was shown live on national television! The TV broadcast was saved on a special film called a kinescope. This film is one of the few records that captured the actual sound an atomic bomb makes.
Contents
What Was Operation Annie?
Operation Annie was a nuclear weapons test. It was part of a series of tests known as Operation Upshot–Knothole. The main goal was to see how a nuclear explosion would affect different things. This test was important because it was one of the first times such an event was shown live to people across the country.
When and Where It Happened
The test took place on March 17, 1953. It was held at the Nevada Test Site. This site is a large area in Nevada where the U.S. government used to conduct many nuclear tests.
Watching on TV
Annie was a very unusual event because it was broadcast live on television. This allowed many Americans to see a nuclear test as it happened. The live TV recording was saved on a kinescope. This old film is a rare way to hear the real sound of an atomic bomb exploding.
Operation Doorstep: A Safety Study
Operation Doorstep was a special study done at the same time as the Annie test. The Federal Civil Defense Administration ran this study. They wanted to learn how a nuclear blast would affect homes and cars. This information would help them plan for public safety.
Testing Homes and Cars
For Operation Doorstep, they set up many items to see what would happen.
- They built two wooden houses.
- They placed fifty cars.
- They also included eight bomb shelters. These shelters were designed for people to use at home.
What They Learned
The study gave some important results about safety.
- Cars: Experts found that a car could be "relatively safe" from a small nuclear bomb. This was true if the car was at least ten blocks away. They also suggested keeping windows open. This would help prevent the car from crushing people inside.
- Houses: The two test houses were built in a special way. This helped them resist the heat from the explosion. The goal was to see if the basement of the closer house could protect people. This house was about 3,500 feet (1,067 meters) from the blast center. They also wanted to see if the second house, about 7,500 feet (2,286 meters) away, would stay standing. Both houses held up as expected under the test conditions.
See also
In Spanish: Upshot-Knothole Annie para niños
