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The force of the explosion pushes the air out from around it, creating a pocket of low air pressure. As the smoke and debris cloud begins rising, fresh air flows in from outside the area of explosion, forcing the cloud higher and forming the shape of a mushroom.

This can happen with any sufficiently powerful explosion, but it's most well known and most well associated with nuclear explosions.

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14y ago
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6mo ago

When a nuclear bomb explodes, it releases an immense amount of energy in a short period of time. This energy creates a fireball that rapidly expands and rises due to the intense heat, causing the characteristic mushroom-shaped cloud to form as the hot air and debris are drawn upwards. The cloud is shaped by the dynamics of the explosion's shock wave interacting with the surrounding atmosphere.

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Q: Why do nuclear bombs form mushroom clouds in physical terms?
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Is there nuclear energy in nuclear bombs?

Yes, nuclear bombs utilize nuclear energy. They rely on the process of nuclear fission or fusion to create an explosive release of energy.


What is the different between a nuclear bomb and an atom bomb?

A nuclear bomb is a generic term for any explosive device that relies on nuclear reactions to produce a large amount of destructive force, while an atomic bomb specifically refers to a type of nuclear bomb that relies on nuclear fission reactions to release energy. Therefore, all atomic bombs are nuclear bombs, but not all nuclear bombs are atomic bombs.


Are nuclear bombs made with nuclear fusion?

Nuclear bombs can use either nuclear fission or nuclear fusion as the primary mechanism of energy release. Most nuclear bombs in current arsenals rely on nuclear fission reactions, while thermonuclear bombs use a fission reaction to trigger a fusion reaction.


Is there gamma radiation in nuclear bombs?

Yes, nuclear bombs produce gamma radiation as a result of the nuclear fission or fusion reactions that release high-energy photons. Gamma radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation that accompanies the explosion of nuclear devices.


Why are thermo nuclear bombs more disasterus than nuclear bombs?

Thermonuclear bombs, or hydrogen bombs, are more destructive than nuclear bombs because they involve a two-stage process: a fission reaction triggers a fusion reaction, resulting in a much larger explosion. This fusion reaction releases much more energy and is more efficient at converting material into energy compared to the fission reaction alone. As a result, thermonuclear bombs are typically much more powerful and devastating than traditional nuclear bombs.

Related questions

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The mushroom cloud of the highest yield nuclear explosion (i.e. the 51 megaton Soviet Tsar Bomba in 1961) was about 40 miles tall. Lower yield explosions will have mushroom clouds that are not that tall. The bombs used in World War 2 had mushroom clouds roughly 6 miles tall. Very low yields can have mushroom clouds less than a thousand feet tall.


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The cold war was a "Mental War"; if it hadn't been, it would have been a real shooting "hot war." The mental anquish during the cold war consisted of not knowing when the "Mushroom Clouds" would appear. Nuclear bombs exploding in your neighborhood.


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Some bombs are nuclear. But most bombs are not nuclear.


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No, China has several hundred nuclear bombs and has had bombs since 1964.


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Beacause millions of lives were taken by the nuclear bombs


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Is there nuclear energy in nuclear bombs?

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What is the different between a nuclear bomb and an atom bomb?

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of course it has an inside were else would they keep the nuclear bombs BIATCH of course it has an inside were else would they keep the nuclear bombs BIATCH of course it has an inside were else would they keep the nuclear bombs BIATCH of course it has an inside were else would they keep the nuclear bombs BIATCH of course it has an inside were else would they keep the nuclear bombs BIATCH of course it has an inside were else would they keep the nuclear bombs BIATCH of course it has an inside were else would they keep the nuclear bombs BIATCH of course it has an inside were else would they keep the nuclear bombs BIATCH of course it has an inside were else would they keep the nuclear bombs BIATCH of course it has an inside were else would they keep the nuclear bombs BIATCH


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No nuclear bombs were tested on Easter Island.