On April
25th -26th, 1986 the World's worst
nuclear power accident o
ccurred at
Chernobyl in the former USSR (now Ukraine). The
Chernobyl nuclear power
plant located 80 miles north of Kiev had 4 reactors and whilst testing
reactor number 4 numerous safety procedures were disregarded. At 1:23am the
chain reaction in the reactor became out of control creating explosions and
a fireball which blew off the reactor
's heavy steel and concrete lid.
The Chernobyl accident killed more than 30 people immediately, and as a result of the high radiation levels in the surrounding 20-mile radius, 135,00 people had to be evacuated.
| Both sets of figures are based upon a Ukrainain study in CANCER published on 1st July 1999. |
30 lives were lost during the accident or within a few months after it. Figures from the Ukraine Radiological Institute suggest that over 2,500 deaths were caused by the Chernobyl accident.
There have been significant increases in psychological health disorders and
incidence such as:
These were a result of the lack of public information available after the accident, the stress and trauma of evacuation and concerns of the people affected and about their children's health. Furthermore there is much understandable scepticism over official statements as people were not told the truth until several years after the accident.
| April 1986 June 1986 April 1985 |
| 2. Between 1981 - 1985, the five years preceding the accident, the average thyroid cancer rate in Ukrainian young children (birth to 15 years) was: |
| 16-17 incidents
per million 10-16 incidents per million 4-6 incidents per million |
| 3. After the accident between 1986 - 1997 how many incidents of Thyroid Cancer were reported per million, again in Ukrainian young children (birth to 15 years)? |
| 45 incidents per
million 20 incidents per million 10 incidents per million |
| 4. As a result of the high radiation levels in the surrounding 20-mile radius how many people had to be evacuated? |
| 200,00 people had
to be evacuated. 250,00 people had to be evacuated 135,00 people had to be evacuated. |
| 5. What type of reactor was used at Chernobyl? |
| Wechev Magnox RMBK |
| 6. Which of the following is NOT a Social, Economic & Political consequence of Chernobyl? |
| The Birth rate has
decreased The work force has migrated to uncontaminated areas resulting in a shortage of labour and professional staff Lethal doses of radiation were reached particularly for coniferous trees and small mammals |
| 7. Who was the president of the USSR at the time of the Chernobyl disaster? |
| Milkhail Gorbachev
John Major Margaret Thatcher |
| 8. How many reactors are there at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant? |
| Three Four Five |
| 9. Which reactor became out of control? |
| Reactor 1 Reactor 3 Reactor 4 |
| 10. Which of the following problems do RMBK reactors suffer from? |
| Positive Void
Coefficient Negative Void Coefficient None of the above |
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