0
If the nuclear core were to melt inside one of the reactors in Japan a thermal explosion would occur and the roof of the reactor will be blown off and a repeat of Chernobyl could happen.
additionally:
To take the gravity of the situation, the Hiroshima atomic bomb contained maybe a handful of nuclear reactant. In a nuclear energy facility, the amount used to generate power is the size of a house.
already, we are seeing a muzzle put on the situation. The fukishima 50 are all walking dead- anyone living around the area is at high risk, very high risk, and for those same reasons we aren't seeing more efforts made by the world to contain this. It may already be too late, and no one wants to volunteer themselves to go to the facility.
Worst case scenario: If you've ever played the video game "fallout", you're getting a good preview of what may happen to us if japan melts down. The island that is in danger has 4 plants also in the red- but it will be a domino effect if one explodes. 4 plants with house-sized nuclear materials will not just contain itself at japan's borders- the whole world will become affected.
What else can I help you with?
What is the term used to describe a nuclear reactor when it over heats and the core melts?
The term used to describe a nuclear reactor when it overheats and the core melts is "nuclear meltdown." This can lead to a breach of containment and release of radioactive materials into the environment.
How did the earthquake in Japan affect the people in Canada?
A lot more Canadians than you think live in Japan and there are Canadian deaths and if the nuclear reactor melts down then the radiation may travel here.
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.
What does the term melt down refers during a nuclear disaster?
The term melt down is a fairly literal description of what can happen when the cooling systems of a nuclear reactor fail; the reactor core becomes so hot that the whole thing literally melts into a puddle of radioactive slag.
What does the term melt down refer to during a nuclear disaster?
The term melt down is a fairly literal description of what can happen when the cooling systems of a nuclear reactor fail; the reactor core becomes so hot that the whole thing literally melts into a puddle of radioactive slag.
What is a dangerous conditions caused by overheating inside of reactor called?
A dangerous condition caused by overheating inside a reactor is known as a meltdown. This occurs when the core of the reactor becomes so hot that it melts, potentially leading to a breach of containment and release of radioactive material.
What going to happen if the nuclear power plant melts down?
A meltdown is both good and bad:Good reactor design uses the meltdown to disassemble the fuel into a subcritical mass, causing the reactor to automatically shutdown.Bad reactor design can allow the fuel to enter places it should not go, possibly causing steam explosions, contamination outside the reactor containment, etc.
What are the causes of nuclear disaters?
A nuclear disaster would be the melt down of a nuclear power plant, possibly resulting in an explosion. A melt down is exactly what it sounds like it means, when a critical component of the reactor literaly melts, buckles or bends from the strain and heat, and fires are usually started as a result. This can cause other structural failures, which can ultimately lead to either complete structural failure or, in a worst case scenario, if the safety backups fail to trigger, the loss of control of the reactor, which may lead to the reactor exploding.
What happens when a nuclear reactor core overheats and melts?
the coolant is contaminated with fission productsif the coolant is water and the fuel pellets are canned in zirconium a chemical reaction may occur that could generate large amounts of hydrogen gasif enough core is exposed without coolant, the molten core material could melt through the reaction vessel and eventually the floor of the containment building (this is very unlikely unless there was a severe loss of coolant accident and the emergency coolant system was disabled)
What is a meltdown at a nuclear power plant?
A partial meltdown is a term for a type of severe nuclear reactor accident. In this situation, the cooling and safety systems of a reactor have failed to the point where the core overheats severely. In this instance, the nuclear fuel, which is welded inside tubes or plates, becomes so hot that it melts its way through the metal (called cladding) encasing it. This contaminates the whole reactor with highly radioactive material. A partial meltdown is generally contaned within the reactor vessel or the containment structure. But the reactor and associated cooling systems will end up highly contaminated with radioactive materials and be unusable.
What happens when ice is wrapped in saw dust or woolen blanket?
=it melts==it melts==it melts=
In a nuclear reactor meltdown what melts?
The short answer is that at least the fuel melts, but if it can melt anything else, it does, including concrete. There are different types of meltdowns. At Three Mile Island, the meltdown happened when hot steam reacted with the zirconium cladding of reactor rods. This allowed uranium fuel pellets to come into contact and melt together. Upwards of half of the fuel in the reactor melted. A worse case is if the reactor itself melts, so the nuclear fuel can go through it. In Chernobyl, the reactor was opened by a series of explosions caused by steam and chemical reactions. Molten fuel escaped the reactor, and there was a threat that when it melted through the concrete floor the reactor stood on, it would fall into a water containment below. If this had happened it almost certainly would have caused another explosion and a much worse disaster. Fortunately for all of us who are alive, a number of people went into the area of the disaster, knowing they would be killed as a result, to get the water out of the containment under the reactor. The molten fuel combined with other materials, and was diluted in the process, finally solidifying in the area under the reactor. As a matter of interest, other people also worked to contain the radioactive material, knowing the work would kill them. Some of these people lived as long as six weeks in the hospital, and some hospital workers came down with radiation poisoning as a result of this exposure. The disaster workers who died were buried in graves over 300 feet deep to isolate the radiation in their bodies.
