Which effect is most commonly associated with the explosion from a nuclear blast?

The heat generated and pressure wave are the primary effects associated with an explosion from a nuclear blast. Upon detonation, a nuclear weapon releases a tremendous amount of energy in the form of an explosive wave, which creates an immediate surge of heat and a shockwave. The heat can reach several million degrees at the point of detonation, which can ignite fires over vast areas and cause severe burns to individuals caught in the blast radius.

Simultaneously, the pressure wave travels outward at high velocities, resulting in destructive overpressure that can flatten buildings and cause injury or death to living organisms. This combination of intense heat and the powerful pressure wave characterizes the destructive potential of a nuclear explosion, making it the most widely recognized and studied consequence of such events. Other options, while they may have some relevance in the broader context of environmental impacts post-detonation, are not immediate effects that define the nature of the explosion itself.