A nuclear weapon or nuke is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion (thermonuclear weapon). Both reactions release vast quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. The resulting explosion will lead to the creation of a mushroom cloud in the vicinity. The use of nukes against a specific target is sometimes referred to as "nuking."[1] In large part because of the severe risks of launching