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-securit

y/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/