Since the Trinity test and excluding the combat use of nuclear weapons , mankind ( those few nations with capability ) has detonated roughly 1,700 nuclear explosions , all but 6 as tests . Of these , six were peaceful nuclear explosions . '' ' Nuclear tests ' '' are experiments carried out to determine the effectiveness , yield and explosive capability of nuclear weapons . Throughout the 20th century , most nations that have developed nuclear weapons had a staged test of them . Testing nuclear weapons can yield information about how the weapons work , as well as how the weapons behave under various conditions and how structures behave when subjected to a nuclear explosion . Additionally , nuclear testing has often been used as an indicator of scientific and military strength , and many tests have been overtly political in their intention ; most nuclear weapons states publicly declared their nuclear status by means of a nuclear test
Trinity test
Trinity (nuclear test)
Nuclear explosion