B+Chernobyl

=__Isotope and Radioactivity__= = = =Name of radioactive isotope/electromagnetic radiation/scientist: Chernobyl disaster = = = = = =Explanation of interesting facts: (how used/works.experiments/discoveries)=
 * 1) The Chernobyl disaster was a nuclear reactor accident that occurred April 26th 1986 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in the Ukraine
 * 2) Four hundred times more fallout was released that had been by the bombing of Hiroshima (Nuclear fallout is radiation hazard released from a nuclear explosion because it "falls out" of the atmosphere.
 * 3) The plume reached places as far out as Ireland, and the evacuation and resettlement of over 336,000 people.
 * 4) The explosion released larger amounts of radioactive and gaseous material containing cesium-137 and strontium-90 which are highly radioactive waste from nuclear reactors
 * 5) The open core also allowed air (oxygen) to contact the super-hot core containing 1,700 tonnes of combustible graphite moderator. The burning graphite moderator increased the emission of radioactive particles, carried by the smoke. The reactor was not contained by any kind of hard containment vessel (which Soviet reactors did not have a lot of). Radioactive particles were carried by wind across international borders.
 * All of the noble gases, including krypton and xenon, contained within the reactor were released immediately into the atmosphere by the first steam explosion.
 * About 55% of the radioactive iodine in the reactor was released, as a mixture of vapor, solid particles and as organic iodine compounds.
 * Caesium and tellerium were released in aerosol form.

=3 Advantages of using the radioactive isotope/radiation/benefits of discovery=

1. After the Chernobyl disaster, many nuclear plants in Russia started to use containment vessels, in case a disaster like this were to occur again. Also, steam turbines designs were changed, as well as changed fuel rode design.

2. Modifications have been made to overcome deficiencies in all the RBMK reactors still operating. In these, originally the nuclear chain reaction and power output could increase if cooling water were lost or turned to steam, somewhat like designs to the West. (//reaktor bolshoy moshchnosty kanalny//, high-power channel reactor)

3. Many other international programmes were initiated following Chernobyl. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safety review projects for each particular type of Soviet reactor are noteworthy, bringing together operators and Western engineers to focus on safety improvements, the Nuclear Safety Assistance Coordination Centre has been giving a lot of funding the Eastern Bloc countries aswell.

=3 Disadvantages of using the radioactive isotope/radiation/discovery:= 1. People are still having miscarriages and children are having birth deffects due parents being exposed to the radiation from Chernobyl. Also, after the disaster, about 8,000 people died of cancers related to radiation sickness.

2. The Upper Biological Shield that was on top of the reacter that was blown off poses more danger, because it sits almost vertically, and is only held up by debris. If the Bioshiled wre to coolapse, it would further exacerbate the dust conditions in the shelter, possibly releasing more radioactive material into the atmosphere, and could damage the shelter itself.

3. The clean up effort is not only expensive, its painstakingly long. Not only does Caesium- 137 have a half life of 30 years, it will take 300 years for the gamma ray levels to get back ground level.

=Is the radioactive isotope/radiation/discovery still used today? Explain= The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant is not still in use today, but the removal of contaminated materials is still ongoing. About 660 feet of concrete is between reactor 4 and the other operational buildings. Three of the reactors continue to operate due to the shortage of power in the area. A fire broke out in Reactor building 2 in 1991, and the reactor was declared to be damaged beyond repair. Reactor 1 was decommissioned in November 1996 as part of a deal between the Ukrainian government and international organizations such as the IAEA to end operations at the plant. On 15 December 2000, then-President Leonid Kuchma personally turned off Reactor 3 in an official ceremony, effectively shutting down the entire plant transforming the Chernobyl plant from energy producer to energy consumer.

=References= en.wikipedia.org/wiki/**Chernobyl**_disaster [|www.world-nuclear.org/info/**chernobyl**/inf07.html]

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