Take the Chernobyl Quiz: Nuclear Disaster Facts and History

What was the main cause of the explosion and fire at reactor number 4 at the Chernobyl complex?

Which radionuclide released during the Chernobyl disaster has the longest half-life?

How long did it take for most of the radiation to be released at Chernobyl?

What were some of the chronic health impacts reported following the Bhopal Gas Tragedy?

Which hazardous chemical was the Union Carbide factory in Bhopal licensed to produce?

What environmental conditions contributed to the severity of the Bhopal gas tragedy?

What was the main cause of the disaster described in the text?

What is the consequence of inhaling MIC, as mentioned in the text?

What failed to operate, worsening the situation described in the text?

How was the gas supposed to be neutralized if the flare tower failed?

The main cause of the explosion and fire at reactor number 4 at the Chernobyl complex was a safety test gone wrong.
The radionuclide with the longest half-life released during the Chernobyl disaster is Iodine-129, with a half-life of 15.7 million years.
Most of the radiation was released within 10 days of the accident.

Chronic health impacts reported following the Bhopal Gas Tragedy include respiratory problems, eye and skin irritation, and birth defects.
The Union Carbide factory in Bhopal was licensed to produce Sevin, a pesticide, which involved the production of Methyl Isocyanate (MIC).
Environmental conditions contributing to the severity of the Bhopal gas tragedy included weather conditions (temperature inversion and wind direction) that prevented the gas from dispersing.
The main cause of the disaster was a malfunction in the storage tank containing MIC, which led to a massive MIC leak.
Inhaling MIC can cause respiratory failure, leading to death.
The vent gas scrubber and flare tower failed to operate, worsening the situation.
If the flare tower failed, the gas was supposed to be neutralized by the vent gas scrubber.