The Chernobyl accident turns 37 today, April 26th. The episode, considered the biggest nuclear accident in history, occurred at Plant V. i. Lenin, in the city of Pripyat, about 20 km from the city of Chernobyl, in the former Soviet Union (currently Ukrainian territory).
The Chernobyl tragedy had several consequences, the main ones being the death and contamination of thousands of people. The disaster also led to the end of soviet union.
What to study about the Chernobyl accident?
O Chernobyl accident marked history and, therefore, can fall into discipline tests. In addition, the tragedy involves subjects related to chemistry and physics.
Due to its importance, the topic can be covered in entrance exams, Enem, public tenders and other selection processes.
see below what to study about the Chernobyl accident:
What was the Chernobyl disaster?
The Chernobyl accident occurred on April 26, 1986, in reactor 4 of the Chernobyl power plant, during a safety test that was being carried out by the team working at the site. The result of this test was the explosion of the reactor.
According to This article, the explosion left the nuclear reactor exposed, which eventually resulted in a fire. The wind released a large amount of radioactive material into the atmosphere, mainly to the west and north of the city of Pripyat, and the radiation spread around the world.
Three former republics of the Soviet Union were the countries hardest hit by the Chernobyl accident:
=>23% of Belarus
=>7% from Ukraine
=>1.5% from Russia
Studies show that 13% to 30% of the radioactive material from reactor 4 must have been released into the atmosphere and, of that material, about 60% of it was concentrated in the territory of Belarus.
Why did the Chernobyl accident occur?
The Chernobyl accident occurred due to human error, according to experts, since operators of reactor 4 failed to comply with several items of safety protocols.
According to Jairo Carlos Júnior, Professor of Chemistry at the Course, the chemical reaction that took place was the nuclear fission of the unstable isotope uranium-235 (U-235). One of the possible fission reactions for uranium-235 is shown below.
"The fission ("breaking") of the U-235 nucleus is caused by neutrons and it is a chain reaction, as more neutrons are released to react with other uranium-235 nuclei. The technicians at the plant's reactor 4 lost control of the chain reaction causing the explosion", explains the professor.
What were the consequences of the Chernobyl accident?
The consequences of the Chernobyl accident were political, economic, environmental and, especially, on the health of the population.
Do not stop now... There's more after the publicity ;)
Check out the main ones below:
Reinforcement of the measures of the government of Mikhail Gorbachev (then president of the USSR) to carry out the nuclear disarmament of the Soviet Union;
Increased economic impacts that were already plaguing the Soviet Union;
Contribution to the end of the Soviet Union;
Loss of around 264,000 hectares of arable land in Belarus;
Contamination of ¼ of Belarusian forests;
Increased amount of cancer in the Ukrainian and Belarusian population, mainly;
Development of thyroid cancer in about 6,000 children by 2005;
Growth in the rate of patients with leukemia;
Increased anxiety rate among the population that experienced the tragedy.
Containment structure built to stop more radioactive material from leaking into Chernobyl.[2]
How many people died in the Chernobyl accident?
Second This article, it is still not known for sure how many people died as a result of the Chernobyl accident. But among the statistics raised, it is pointed out that two workers died during the explosion, 29 died days after the accident from exposure to radiation and another 18 died from illnesses caused by contact with the radiation.
Studies show that at least 4 thousand people died until 2006 because of the Chernobyl tragedy. But other research points out that death tolls may be higher.
Thousands of people who have been in contact with radiation have benefited from compensation made available by governments. from the affected countries and now receive a special pension, or have been retired on disability, or receive special medical treatment etc. The beneficiaries were:
infected people who became ill from radiation;
liquidators;
people who worked in the Chernobyl region in subsequent years;
people who stayed in contaminated areas;
people who have been evacuated from contaminated areas.
How is Chernobyl today?
Estimates made by scientists indicate that the Chernobyl region is expected to remain uninhabited for up to 20,000 years until it becomes safe for human habitation. Despite this, there is evidence that some people have returned to live in the so-called “exclusion zone”.
The city of Pripyat, where the installation was located, was abandoned and is now a ghost town. More than thirty years after the accident, the images show that nature has regained its space in the abandoned city. There is evidence that the number of animals present in the exclusion zone has increased considerably because of the small human presence.
Image credits:
[1] Wikimedia Commons
[2] Olga Vladimirova It is Shutterstock
By Silvia Tancredi
Journalist
