Within 10 days of the accident at the Chernobyl No 4 reactor in Ukraine on 6 April 1986, large quantities of radioactive material were dispersed into the atmosphere over the northern hemisphere by air currents. Following the accident, radioactive clouds were carried as far as the coast of Swit...
The two reactors were created because of Britain’s need for an atomic weapon following World War II. Determining that a uranium enrichment plant would cost ten times as much to produce the same number of atomic bombs as a nuclear reactor, the decision was made to build a nuclear reactor th...
On 26th of April 1986, Reactor 4 of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant underwent a catastrophic failure whilst undergoing an experimental power failure test. The reactor experienced uncontrolled fission and water flashed into steam causing an explosion, which exposed the reactor to the atmosphere and c...
With a partial meltdown in the Unit 2 reactor, TMI remains the most serious nuclear disaster to occur in the United States. Although no direct health problems due to the accident's radiation were reported, the TMI disaster severely damaged the image of nuclear power as ...
nuclear power plant diagram Schematic diagram of a nuclear power plant using a pressurized-water reactor. (more) nuclear power Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Written by William Martin Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Mar 17, 2025 • Article His...