14 DAY TRIAL // Clouds come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Clouds that look like mushrooms, however, are usually the work of a nuclear bomb going off. So, yes, such clouds can really put a dent in an otherwise perfect day.
But why is it that atomic blasts produce mushroom clouds rather than ones resembling, say, carrots? Or apples or hamburgers or whatever other random snack or treat?
Well, for one thing, the mushroom clouds that come with nuclear explosions aren't made of the same stuff as regular clouds. They don't comprise condensed water, but heat, smoke and even debris.
As for their shape, scientists say it all comes down to what happens when the hot air, the smoke and all the flying material from the explosion meet the cool air in the atmosphere.
In a nutshell, it's the interaction between these masses of different temperatures and densities that forms the mushroom clouds we associate with nuclear blasts.
When an explosion occurs, the energy that is released heats and expands the air surrounding it. The hot air rises, as does the smoke and debris. However, it can only go as far, as the surrounding atmosphere caps it.
The result is the iconic mushroom-like silhouette. Interestingly, it's not just atomic blasts that can create mushroom clouds. The same is true about other not-so-impressive explosions and even fires.
