Chernobyl’s Radioactive Lava is Still Hot
Because Science・2 minutes read
The Chernobyl nuclear disaster, explored from an engineering and physics perspective, resulted from a design flaw in the RBMK reactor leading to a catastrophic meltdown in 1986. The fallout has made the surrounding areas uninhabitable for humans for centuries, but wildlife thrives in the exclusion zone.
Insights
- Chernobyl's RBMK reactor's design flaw, specifically the positive void coefficient, caused an uncontrollable feedback loop leading to the catastrophic meltdown in 1986.
- The aftermath of the Chernobyl disaster resulted in the creation of an exclusion zone, making the surrounding area uninhabitable for humans for centuries while paradoxically allowing wildlife to flourish in the absence of human presence.
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Recent questions
What caused the Chernobyl disaster?
Design flaw in RBMK reactor
How does a nuclear reactor work?
Nuclear fission creates energy
What is the Elephant's Foot in Chernobyl?
Highly radioactive corium mass
Is Chernobyl still radioactive?
Yes, uninhabitable for centuries
How does the void coefficient affect reactors?
Positive feedback loop escalates heat
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