Nuclear Accidents And Holocaust
                     NUCLEAR ACCIDENTS 
AND HOLOCAUST
Nuclear 
Fission
Nuclear fission is a nuclear 
reaction in which the nucleus 
of an atom splits into smaller 
parts producing free 
neutrons, gamma rays and 
releasing a large amount of 
energy.
Source: old.amu.ac.in
Chain 
Reaction
Chain Reaction During 
nuclear fission, parts of the 
atom’s nucleus that have 
been broken off by collision 
with the neutron will in turn 
bombard other nuclei to 
produce more fission.
Source: old.amu.ac.in
Control rods
A control rod is a rod made of 
chemical elements capable 
of absorbing many neutrons 
without fissioning 
themselves. They are used in 
nuclear reactors to control 
the rate of fission of uranium 
and plutonium.
Source: old.amu.ac.in
Nuclear 
Accidents
A situation in which an 
uncontrollable chain reaction 
arises in a nuclear reactor.
Source: old.amu.ac.in
Nuclear 
‘Meltdown’ in 
the USA
Three Mile Island, 
Pennsylvania: Happened in 
1979 due to the meltdown of 
fuel rods. Health effects 
mostly unstudied or kept 
clandestine.
Source: old.amu.ac.in
Causes of 
the Accident
There was not one cause of 
this accident, there were 
several which all contributed 
to it. A chain reaction 
occurred in the reactor and 
got out of control, causing 
explosions and a huge 
fireball which blew off the 
heavy concrete and steel lid 
on the reactor.
Source: old.amu.ac.in
Holocaust
The word ‘holocaust’ comes from 
ancient Greek and means ‘burnt 
offering’. 
Even before the Second World 
War, the word was sometimes 
used to describe the death of a 
large group of people, but since 
1945, it has become almost 
synonymous with the murder of 
the European Jews during the 
Second World War.
Source: old.amu.ac.in
Environment
al 
consequence
s
The radioactive fallout 
caused radioactive material 
to deposit itself over large 
areas of ground. It has had 
an effect over most of the 
northern hemisphere in one 
way or another.
Source: www.yourarticlelibrary.com
Health 
effects
Firstly, there was a huge 
increase in Thyroid Cancer in 
Ukrainian children (from birth 
to 15 years old). From 1981-
1985 there was an average 
of 4-6 patients per million 
but between 1986 and 1997 
this increased to an average 
of 45 patients per million.
Source: www.yourarticlelibrary.com
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