Chernobyl

DiariesBy Jack Hilferty

Reason I Chose

Chernobyl

• News references

• Political debates and arguments over nuclear power

Summary of Chernobyl

• Early hours April 26th, 1986.

• Routine maintenance was to be performed on stack 4 of the Chernobyl nuclear power station.

• Testing the safety electrical system in case of power outage in order to keep plant running.

• The power fluctuated and caused a power surge and immediate shutdown.

• Electricity was needed to pump the coolant water for the station

• Excessive heat led to 2 explosions within stack 4

Effects of Incident• 31 people died from explosions

• 240,000 of first responders exposed to extreme dosages of radiation.

• 116,000 evacuees exposed to 2 times the normal radiation in a lifetime.

• 270,000 residents of Strict-Control Zones are still being exposed to radiation.

• An extra 4,000 cancer deaths are predicted among these groups

• An extra 5,000 cancer deaths are predicted among surrounding countries

Most Interesting

Discovery

• Soviet Union did not evacuate Pripyat, Ukraine (closest

city) until April 28th.

• Did not tell the other countries until Sweden found high

levels of radiation at their nuclear power station.

Human Condition

• Human Condition: Everything that makes us human; such

as feeling, thinking, and free will and knowing the

consequences of our actions.

• The Soviet Union chose to hide this incident from its own

people and many people’s lives were heavily affected by

radiation due to the lack of care the Soviets showed its

people.

Conclusion• Chernobyl nuclear power plant exploded and emitted

radioactive particles all over Europe.

• Soviets neglected the safety of its people and the rest of

the world by deciding to hide the incident.

• Many cases of sickness and cancer will result from the

excess radiation.

Sources

• http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/archives/n2constr.html

• http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/safety-and-security/safety-of-plants/chernobyl-accident/

• http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Safety-and-Security/Safety-of-Plants/Appendices/Chernobyl-Accident---Appendix-1--Sequence-of-Events/

• http://history1900s.about.com/od/horribledisasters/p/Chernobyl.htm

• http://www.who.int/ionizing_radiation/chernobyl/backgrounder/en/