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Reactor number 4 at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine exploded on April 26, 1986.

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Would a nuclear reactor explode if there were no people?

No, a nuclear reactor would not explode solely due to the absence of people. Reactor safety systems are designed to shut down automatically in case of any abnormal conditions, such as the reactor overheating or losing cooling. The presence or absence of people would not impact the reactor's physical safety mechanisms.


Can a nuclear reactor explode as a nuclear bomb?

Highly unlikely if not altogether impossible. In a core meltdown, you might see a steam explosion if the core melts and breaches the containment structure and hits say cooling water. But even a runaway chain reaction in a reactor would not cause a nuclear explosion like a bomb.


Is reactor number 3 really in critical at Fukushima?

As of the most recent information available, reactor number 3 at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant is not in a critical state. The situation at the plant is being closely monitored, and any developments regarding reactor number 3 and the overall safety of the plant will be reported by relevant authorities.


How does a nuclear reactor explode?

The only one that has ever exploded to my knowledge was at Chernobyl in 1986, and this was due to a steam pressure surge during an experimental procedure that was badly planned and carried out. This type of reactor was unique to the Soviet bloc countries and is no longer built, though I think some may still be in operation.


How many fuel rods in a reactor?

The number of fuel pins in a reactor will vary depending on its design and objectives. In one reactor that I worked with, I seem to recall 137 fuel assemblies, with four bundles each, with 62 fuel pins each. That translates to 33,976 fuel pins in the reactor, each about 12 feet long.

Related Questions

Would a nuclear reactor explode if there were no people?

No, a nuclear reactor would not explode solely due to the absence of people. Reactor safety systems are designed to shut down automatically in case of any abnormal conditions, such as the reactor overheating or losing cooling. The presence or absence of people would not impact the reactor's physical safety mechanisms.


Did chernobyl explode like a bomb?

It did explode, but this was due to a surge in steam pressure which blew off the top of the reactor, it was not a nuclear explosion as in a nuclear weapon.


What is Reactor number four?

The #4 reactor is the reactor at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (Pripyat, Ukraine) that exploded on April 26, 1986. It is still the worst nuclear accident to ever take place anywhere.


Can a nuclear reactor explode as a nuclear bomb?

Highly unlikely if not altogether impossible. In a core meltdown, you might see a steam explosion if the core melts and breaches the containment structure and hits say cooling water. But even a runaway chain reaction in a reactor would not cause a nuclear explosion like a bomb.


Where did a nuclear reactor explode in 1986?

A nuclear reactor exploded in 1986 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine. The explosion released a large amount of radioactive material into the atmosphere, making it one of the worst nuclear disasters in history.


Can a power plant can explode like a nuclear weapon?

No, a nuclear weapon needs a specific geometry to detonate, and it has to be held in this position by very high explosives to keep it in this shape. In a nuclear reactor, if the reactor core goes critical then the force of the expanding coolant will blow the reactor apart, preventing a nuclear blast.


What does head swelled as big as a number 4 washtub mean from Where the Red Fern Grows?

It means that your head is about to explode


How many control rods are there in a nuclear reactor?

The number of control rods in a nuclear reactor can vary depending on the design and size of the reactor. Typically, a nuclear reactor can have anywhere from 50 to 100 control rods. These rods are used to control the rate of the nuclear reaction by absorbing neutrons and regulating the power output of the reactor.


Can a conventional reactor ever explode like a bomb does?

No, for two main reasons: a bomb requires highly enriched U-235 (near 100 percent) or near pure Pu-239, and reactor fuel is a much weaker material, only 4 to 5 percent, the rest non-fissile U-238; and secondly a bomb requires the fissile material to be concentrated into as small a space as possible, whereas in a reactor it is spaced out in a lattice with moderator in the spaces.


Is reactor number 3 really in critical at Fukushima?

As of the most recent information available, reactor number 3 at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant is not in a critical state. The situation at the plant is being closely monitored, and any developments regarding reactor number 3 and the overall safety of the plant will be reported by relevant authorities.


How does a nuclear reactor explode?

The only one that has ever exploded to my knowledge was at Chernobyl in 1986, and this was due to a steam pressure surge during an experimental procedure that was badly planned and carried out. This type of reactor was unique to the Soviet bloc countries and is no longer built, though I think some may still be in operation.


How many fuel rods in a reactor?

The number of fuel pins in a reactor will vary depending on its design and objectives. In one reactor that I worked with, I seem to recall 137 fuel assemblies, with four bundles each, with 62 fuel pins each. That translates to 33,976 fuel pins in the reactor, each about 12 feet long.