why do big explosions create mushroom clouds?

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why do big explosions create mushroom clouds?

In: Physics

3 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

Big explosions create a lot of heat. That creates a powerful updraft near the location of the explosion, which draws air in and rises up in a column above the center. The edges of that column form vortices that curl outward, which is what causes the “mushroom” shape – more technically, a [Rayleigh-Taylor instability](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rayleigh%E2%80%93Taylor_instability).

Anonymous 0 Comments

Some elements in the reaction are less dense, thus they rise higher faster. What stays less high are denser reactive. The heat produced increase this effect.

Anonymous 0 Comments

Big explosion. Air gets really hot. Rises up as its less dense. Cool air from around rushes in to fill the void creating a storm. This pulls particles of ash and dust in the air and when the air cools down it stops rising so it spreads out. A straight channel from the center of the explosion and uo hight it spreads out, mushroom shaped cloud.