What are some interesting facts about Chernobyl?
Key Facts. The 1986 accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine, then part of the former Soviet Union, is the only accident in the history of commercial nuclear power to cause fatalities from radiation. It was the product of a severely flawed Soviet-era reactor design, combined with human error.
What is another name for Chernobyl disaster?
See Article History. Alternative Title: Chornobyl accident. Chernobyl disaster, accident in 1986 at the Chernobyl nuclear power station in the Soviet Union, the worst disaster in the history of nuclear power generation.
Was there a cover-up at Chernobyl?
A cover-up was attempted, but on April 28 Swedish monitoring stations reported abnormally high levels of wind -transported radioactivity and pressed for an explanation. The Soviet government admitted there had been an accident at Chernobyl, thus setting off an international outcry over the dangers posed by…
Does radiation exposure from Chernobyl cause cancer?
Studying the populations that were exposed to radiation after the Chernobyl accident has provided important data linking exposure to radiation and the future development of cancer. Cases of pediatric thyroid cancer, likely caused by absorption of Iodine-131 into the thyroid gland, increased in Ukraine and Belarus 3 to 4 years after the accident.
What radioactive substances were released by the Chernobyl accident?
Major radioactive substances released by the Chernobyl accident Radioactive substance half-life EBq iodine-131 8.04 days 1.760 caesium-137 30 years 0.085 strontium-90 29.12 years 0.010 plutonium-241 (which decays into Americi 14.4 years 430 years 0.003
How did the NRC respond to the Chernobyl disaster?
The NRC’s Chernobyl response included three major phases: (1) determining the facts of the accident, (2) assessing the accident’s implications for regulating U.S. commercial nuclear power plants, and (3) conducting longer-term studies suggested by the assessment.
How much radiation is in the Chernobyl nuclear reactor?
The radiation levels in the worst-hit areas of the reactor building, including the control room, have been estimated at 300Sv/hr, (300,000mSv/hr) providing a fatal dose in just over a minute.