Answer to Question #189998 in General Chemistry for James

Question

On March 11, 2011, the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan was severely damaged by a huge tsunami caused by a strong earthquake. As a consequence, radioactive materials have accidentally spilled out of the power plant, exposing its immediate environment to high doses of radiation. Since then, scientists have been monitoring the amount of radiation in the area. Unfortunately, radiation is still high until 2016. Explain why even after almost five years, radiation is still high in the vicinity of the power plant.

Answer 1

Following a major earthquake, a 15-metre tsunami disabled the power supply and cooling of three Fukushima Daiichi reactors, causing a nuclear accident beginning on 11 March 2011. All three cores largely melted in the first three days.