Chernobyl Disaster Knowledge Assessment

The Chernobyl disaster occurred on April 26, 1986, when a reactor at the Chernobyl power plant in Ukraine exploded, releasing a massive radioactive cloud over Europe. The plant was one of the Soviet Union's most advanced facilities. The disaster was triggered during a safety test that went wrong, leading to the removal of control rods and loss of coolant flow, causing the reactor to overheat and explode. Immediate evacuation and firefighting efforts followed, but the radioactive release was equivalent to 400 Hiroshima bombs. A concrete sarcophagus was built to contain the reactor, but the plant continued operating until 2000. A new confinement structure was later constructed to ensure long-term safety.

Where did the world's worst civilian nuclear disaster occur?

• Windscale

• Chernobyl

• Fukushima

• Three Mile Island

Which country received sixty percent of the initial fallout from the Chernobyl disaster?

• Russia

• Belarus

• Germany

• Poland

When did the first two reactors at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant become operational?

• Late 1960s

• Early 1970s

• Late 1970s

• Early 1980s

What was the purpose of the test conducted on April 26th, 1986?

• To test the main cooling system

• To test the backup cooling system

• To test the control rods

• To test the turbine efficiency

What is the primary function of control rods in a nuclear reactor?

• To slow the nuclear reaction

• To generate electricity

• To cool the reactor

• To produce steam

At what time did reactor four explode?

• 1:23 a.m.

• 3:23 a.m.

• 12:23 a.m.

• 2:23 a.m.

How many people were evacuated from the 30-kilometer zone around the plant?

• 115,000

• 100,000

• 75,000

• 50,000

How long did the battle to put out the fires inside the reactor last?

• 20 days

• 5 days

• 10 days

• 15 days

When was the Chernobyl complex completely shut down?

• 1996

• 1998

• 2000

• 2002

What is the expected lifespan of the new confinement structure built over reactor four?

• 75 years

• 150 years

• 100 years

• 50 years