what is Chernobyl all about?

Answer 1

The site of the world's worst nuclear accident.

read below:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chernobyl

Answer 2

The Chernobyl accident in 1986 was the result of a flawed reactor design that was operated with inadequately trained personnel and without proper regard for safety.
The resulting steam explosion and fire released at least five percent of the radioactive reactor core into the atmosphere and downwind.
28 people died within four months from radiation or thermal burns, 19 have subsequently died, and there have been around nine deaths from thyroid cancer apparently due to the accident: total 56 fatalities as of 2004.
An authoritative UN report in 2000 concluded that there is no scientific evidence of any significant radiation-related health effects to most people exposed. This was confirmed in a very thorough 2005-06 study.
On 25 April, prior to a routine shut-down, the reactor crew at Chernobyl-4 began preparing for a test to determine how long turbines would spin and supply power following a loss of main electrical power supply. Similar tests had already been carried out at Chernobyl and other plants, despite the fact that these reactors were known to be very unstable at low power settings.

A series of operator actions, including the disabling of automatic shutdown mechanisms, preceded the attempted test early on 26 April. As flow of coolant water diminished, power output increased. When the operator moved to shut down the reactor from its unstable condition arising from previous errors, a peculiarity of the design caused a dramatic power surge.

The fuel elements ruptured and the resultant explosive force of steam lifted off the cover plate of the reactor, releasing fission products to the atmosphere. A second explosion threw out fragments of burning fuel and graphite from the core and allowed air to rush in, causing the graphite moderator to burst into flames.

There is some dispute among experts about the character of this second explosion. The graphite burned for nine days, causing the main release of radioactivity into the environment. A total of about 14 EBq (1018 Bq) of radioactivity was released, half of it being biologically-inert noble gases. The plant manager is still blamed for disregarding procedure.

Answer 3

Chernobyl was a nuclear reactor in the former USSR that melted down. (Or, more accurately, exploded--it wasn't a "nuclear explosion" in the normal sense, though. The reactor just heated up so much that the medium in it vaporized and blew the top off the reactor and the building.) It released fission products to the environment. There was a tremendous amount of radioactivity released, and together with the Three Mile Island incident, this eroded much of the public's confidence in the safety of nuclear power.

Answer 4

In April, 1986, a nuclear leakage took place at Chernobyl in Ukraine. Thousands of people died. Even after more then 20 years after the incident, the babies born there have some deformity or the other.

Answer 5

Well, it is best know nuclear catastrophy.

Read this site if you want to know what happened.

Also something is to be said for the afterlife of this accident. and I dont mean the sad implications on life in the area. A much more serious effect is the sad and demeaning effect this single episode have had on any debate regarding the proper use of nuclear power. We (The public) dont know too well how much power that comes from nuclear plants around the world. Thank god for that. Because if we where to seriously out phase this power source we would be in serious trouble. Also this energy is the most economical and long lasting we will se for many years to come.

Any public debate regarding nuclear power is run of track by people talking about this accident. This single incident is one of, or maybe the most, important reasons why we still have to rely on fossile fuel!

Chernoby = Nuclear holocaust.

Answer 6

People tend to look at the nuclear side of it and point out how inherantly dangerous nuclear Power is but I think that is the wrong lesson to be learned from Chernobyl.

The real lessons there were the importance of a well trained crew, not testing interlocks/safety functions and maintenance of backups for backups for backups so safety functions are in place at all times. We also got to see first hand why Russian designed reactors were a terrible design :P

Answer 7

It's about a nuclear reactor that got very much out of control, much like 3 mile island in NY.

Chernobyl still can't really be visited for long periods.

It will take 100 or more years before it is safe to go inside and clean things up. Maybe longer.

Answer 8

dude, wares your attention ??Chernobyl is thar Russan Nuke Power Plact that had that huge melt down.

Remember, they tried for an extended run time on low water in the reactor, things got out of hand, and then the necular pile got so hot, that it melted through the containment vessel and on through the ground.

All those Russian people that died from the radation, all those towns that had to be abondaned, all that concrete that was poured on top of that place, in an effort to cap it off?????

Answer 9

They were running some tests on a nuclear power plant and it exploded. Sending radiation poising around Europe. The web site below has everything.

The second web site are the specifics of the accident.

Answer 10

There was a nuclear accident at nuclear plant in Russia, many people died and many more still suffered then and even now with the long term effects of exposure.