What is a “dirty bomb?
A “dirty bomb” is a conventional explosive such as dynamite packaged with radioactive material that scatters when the bomb goes off. (The radioactive material would likely be material stolen from hospitals, nuclear power plants, or other industrial sites. It is not the same as an atomic bomb.) Most “dirty bomb” casualties will be from the initial blast of the conventional explosive. The radioactive material that is scattered as a result of the explosion causes the “dirty” part. The TNT in such a bomb may still be more dangerous than the radioactive material. Its destructive power would depend on the size of the conventional bomb, and the amount of the nuclear material used.
