2006-07-19 12:58:13 · 11 answers · asked by Big J 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Other - Science
The answer would be a negative distance. This is because it is as safe inside the power plant as it is outside.
Western reactor designs are safer than the Chernobyl reactor. We can do some math...how many have died from a nuclear reactor incident in the United States? 0 . How many have died from Chernobyl? 56 . Nuclear reactors have now accumulated 12,000 reactor years in 32 countries (see source below) with only two incidents...Three Mile Island which resulted in no deaths and was completely contained, and Chernobyl. Contrast this to how many die each year due to having to be involved in mid-East politics (start with World Trade Center and continue adding), how many die from accidents at coal and gas burning power plants (22,000 early deaths due to coal plant emissions in US alone), how many may die in future or already due to weather patterns affected by pollution caused by oil, gas, and coal-fired plants? The sooner we realize that nuclear power generation combined with wind and solar offer a means to remove our dependency on oil and coal, the safer the world will become. Overcome the irrational fear and the world will become a cleaner and safer place.
By the way, background radiation is present all around us, in our homes, in the ground, from space. The fact is, we are all irradiated all the time. There is K-40 in bananas and fertilizers, Th-208 in concrete and rock, and a host of other isotopes, all occurring naturally. The smoke detectors most of us use have 0.9 microCuries of Am-241 in them...did you know that (look on the label)? This is an extremely small amount, but it is there and illustrates how radiation is a tool and shouldn't be as completely feared as it is.
2006-07-19 14:02:43 · answer #1 · answered by SkyWayGuy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A distance of 0 meters.
The atmosphere contains extremely small traces of radioactive atoms from nature, as well as man-made disasters from nuclear power plants.
The intensity of this kind of radioactivity will decrease over distance and time, if there is a nuclear power plant disaster again. However, considering the death toll of these disasters, it is extremely likely that if you are living in the United States, you will not be affected by nuclear power plants at all!
And if there is a disaster, it is impossible to tell how far away is a totally safe distance from the plant (because of wind, atmospheric conditions, altitude, intensity of the disaster, etc). Therefore, if you are extremely worried about such an event, find the point where you are furthest away from all nuclear power plants. This will surely keep you covered!
2006-07-19 20:09:23 · answer #2 · answered by +Veritas+ 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you're talking about a manmade nuclear fission plant, well, as long as you're outside the radiation shielding, you'll be just fine (perhaps with the exception of some older russian plants). 11 feet of concrete, lead, and steel are more than sufficient to stop the radiation from any fission plant built.
If you're talking about the naturally occurring Oklo reactors, well, they've been extinct for a billion years now. I wouldn't worry too much about them. I don't know the in principle safe distance, but it depends on how much shielding you have between you and them.
If you're talking about a (hypothetical... or the sun) fusion reactor, it depends on which reaction it uses, how big it is, and how much shielding it has.
2006-07-19 21:48:31 · answer #3 · answered by NonHomogenized 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'd rather be next to a modern nuclear plant than a modern coal fired plant. Less pollution, and the radiation exposure is negligible.
If a person isn't seriously considering nuclear power as part of the solution to global warming and high energy costs, they are not serious about solving these problems, in my opinion.
2006-07-20 02:06:46 · answer #4 · answered by Mark V 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well, everything has a factor of risk inherently. Even if you are sitting accross the world from a nuclear disaster, any radioactive material ejected sufficiently high in the air would eventually reach you. While you can never be completely 'safe', the farther from a reactor, the safer you are.
2006-07-19 20:09:36 · answer #5 · answered by bakkster_man 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As long as there is no radiation leaking from the power plant any distance is safe.
2014-09-19 14:49:32 · answer #6 · answered by Molly S 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well since radioactive fallout from a damaged reactor can be carried by the wind their is no true safe distance.
2006-07-19 20:05:42 · answer #7 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
in the break room of the power plant
2006-07-19 22:22:27 · answer #8 · answered by bad guppy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
93 million miles is fairly safe, but you can still get burned if you lie in it's radiation for a few hours. Use SPF 30.
2006-07-19 20:03:46 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Tomorrow!
2006-07-19 20:50:32 · answer #10 · answered by Sleeping Troll 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋