What could be the consequences of an explosion at a nuclear reactor?
No immediate health effects would be expected in the general public from a nuclear power plant accident. That is because the amount of radiation present would be too small to cause immediate injury or illness. However, there is a risk of long-term health effects. Cancer may develop many years after the exposure.
How far can a nuclear bomb cause damage?
In a typical air burst, where the blast range is maximized to produce the greatest range of severe damage, i.e. the greatest range that ~10 psi (69 kPa) of pressure is extended over, is a GR/ground range of 0.4 km for 1 kiloton (kt) of TNT yield; 1.9 km for 100 kt; and 8.6 km for 10 megatons (Mt) of TNT.
What happens when the reactor melts down in among us?
During Reactor Meltdown on The Skeld, the reactor in Reactor will begin to glow red. Players have an additional 15 seconds to resolve Reactor Meltdown on MIRA HQ than The Skeld, most likely due to the fact that players must go through Decontamination, which can be time-consuming.
Which location saw the most damaging nuclear accident?
Chernobyl is widely acknowledged to be the worst nuclear accident in history, but a few scientists have argued that the accident at Fukushima was even more destructive. Both events were far worse than the partial meltdown of a nuclear reactor at Three Mile Island near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Can a core damage incident occur after a reactor is shut down?
A core damage incident can occur even after a reactor is shut down because the fuel continues to produce decay heat . A core damage accident is caused by the loss of sufficient cooling for the nuclear fuel within the reactor core.
What happens when a nuclear reactor core melts down?
However, when the core of the reactor melts down it stops the reaction; there is no possibility of an atomic explosion. If the reactor core is fully contained, the major concern is whether there is any release of contaminated air or liquids into the environment.
What happened at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant?
The plant’s reactor in Unit 4 experienced a surge of power and a full reactor meltdown. Along with the meltdown, there was a steam explosion, which caused the reactor’s roof to collapse and released radioactive substances and fission products into the atmosphere.
How long does a nuclear explosion take to take place?
The actual nuclear explosion takes place in a few micro seconds. The radiation lasts a few milliseconds, except for the residual radiation and materials irradiated that will last years. The rest is all plasma super heating the atmosphere to produce the blast effect. That lasts a few dozen seconds.