The cause of a nuclear power plant explosion can be due to a loss of cooling water leading to overheating and a buildup of pressure, resulting in a steam explosion. The effect can range from release of radioactive materials into the environment, potential contamination of air, water, and soil, and long-term health and environmental consequences for nearby populations.
No, a nuclear explosion on a nuclear power plant would not cause the explosion radius to increase. The explosion radius would be determined by the yield of the nuclear weapon itself, not by the presence of the power plant.
No. There is no possibility whatsoever of a nuclear power plant having a nuclear explosion. It is not physically, or even theoretically, possible for the core to be brought into a super-prompt critical geometry and held there long enough to consume enough fuel to "go nuclear".
A nuclear power station can not create a nuclear explosion. What CAN happen is that hydrogen could build up inside of the containment dome and if the build up becomes too intense, it can cause a hydrogen explosion, like the one in Japan recently. This explosion is dangerous only if you are close to it and are hit by the concussion or by the debris that is flying from the explosion. If this explosion is too large, it can damage the containment dome surrounding the reactor and this, in turn, releases some radioactive gases.
The largest nuclear plant meltdown happened at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine on April 26, 1986. The explosion and subsequent fire released large amounts of radioactive material into the atmosphere, resulting in one of the worst nuclear disasters in history.
AnswerThere would be a gigantic explosion AnswerThe force of the actual explosion would depend entirely on the bomb. The material in the power plant would almost certainly not contribute to the force of the explosion in any way. Nuclear explosions are not merely a matter of achieving critical mass; the critical mass has to be maintained while the explosion takes place, which is not easy. The environmental damage done by the bomb would probably be worse than if it had gone off in some other place, because the radioactive material at the power plant would be scattered to some unpredictable extent.Nuclear power plants are never, or nearly never, built in cities because of the possibility of accident. A nuclear bomb hitting a nuclear power plant would possibly cause fewer fatalities than a bomb hitting a city.
No, a nuclear explosion on a nuclear power plant would not cause the explosion radius to increase. The explosion radius would be determined by the yield of the nuclear weapon itself, not by the presence of the power plant.
no
nuclear plant explosion
The nuclear plant explosion of 1986
No. A nuclear weapon requires a critical amount of highly enriched fuel to be rapidly brought together to cause a sudden explosion. Nuclear plants use low enriched fuel which could never cause a nuclear explosion, and this fuel is dispersed through the reactor in any case so it could not suddenly come together. Any nuclear plant explosions (like Chernobyl) are caused by the presence of high pressure steam and water circuits, not the fact of it being a nuclear plant, though certainly if there is an explosion of a pressure circuit and hence a loss of coolant, and disruption of the nuclear reactor, radioactivity may escape from the plant. This is the chief preoccupation of designers and operators, to keep the plant safe and prevent this ever happening.
hibaku jumoku
lots
No. There is no possibility whatsoever of a nuclear power plant having a nuclear explosion. It is not physically, or even theoretically, possible for the core to be brought into a super-prompt critical geometry and held there long enough to consume enough fuel to "go nuclear".
The Chernobyl nuclear plant used enriched uranium as fuel in its reactor. The accident at the plant resulted in a nuclear chain reaction, leading to a catastrophic explosion and release of radioactive materials.
radiological not toxicological
Yes, the explosion happened in Japan. It was very tragic.
A nuclear power station can not create a nuclear explosion. What CAN happen is that hydrogen could build up inside of the containment dome and if the build up becomes too intense, it can cause a hydrogen explosion, like the one in Japan recently. This explosion is dangerous only if you are close to it and are hit by the concussion or by the debris that is flying from the explosion. If this explosion is too large, it can damage the containment dome surrounding the reactor and this, in turn, releases some radioactive gases.