Why Did Fukushima Explode?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 มี.ค. 2011
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In which Hank explains nuclear power and the situation at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant in Japan.
In short, fission products continually decaying in both active and spent fuel rods create enough heat to melt themselves. The coolant systems that would prevent this from happening were disabled by the tsunami. Cracks in the fuel rods created an environment allowing hydrogen to form, which concentrated and then exploded several times destroying both the primary and secondary containment structures at at least one reactor.
The result is that the reactor needs to remain cooled or else radiation from the meltdown will be released to the environment in significant quantities. The people working to keep the reactor from overheating are risking their lives to do so, and we all hope they will be able to stabilize the reactor without harm.
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Okay as a Japanese (and a nerdfighter of course!) myself let me just say that you just explained about the disaster WAY better than the government and TV here in Japan.
They are amazing indeed. Also countries are usually afraid of letting the people know too much of the mistakes that happen from time to time. That happens all around the world, thank the gods we have internet!
The biggest disaster after meach 11 was japanese government not tsunami or earthquake.
Shit was scary, almost was a Chernobyl 2.0. Thankfully it wasn't.
Nuclear energy is the best energy to end climate change. change my mind with anything other than public opinion
@@Jawshuah
But climate is ALWAYS changing!
You can't stop it :\
See:
th-cam.com/video/MiDjf77PN3c/w-d-xo.html
do you think the past weather was really calm?
It was really nice to watch this again after the Chernobyl video (2019), because getting a second round of the terms and how everything works was useful reinforcement, and hearing the differences (and similarities) between the two videos was really cool. Thanks Hank!
+
This very day we see a lot of billion dollars companies against the new green deal and I wonder why. 🙄
I am actually a nuclear engineer, and school would have been SO MUCH BETTER if I could have heard it via your TH-cam videos like this. Cheers, Hank.
"It's almost as if our society values opinions more than it values knowledge."
Wow. Yeah. Exactly.
Thank you, Hank! I love being part of a group that does, in fact, value knowledge more than opinion. Thank you guys for making this community possible.
TH-cam when to recommend this
2011:No
2012:No
2013:Still No
2014:A couple more years
2015:MORE
2016:EVEN MORE
2017:A little more..
2018:Just a bit more...
2019:One more year
2020:DO IT
Well hi from 2021.
Same
@@blizzy78 hi from 2022
This is such an amazing video, because it's so easy to understand! It's not patronising or too complicated, doesn't have any bias or opinions, and finally something about nuclear stuffs makes SENSE! I've never really understood how nuclear reactions and power plants work before - it all makes sense now. I learned more in this 5 minute video than in an entire term of science class, no joke.
It's always been interesting to me that all power plants run on turbines. Every "named" method (gas, coal, biomass, hydro, reflective solar) of generating power is just the method used to either force water through a turbine or to turn it to steam...to pressurize a turbine. Silicon-based solar (i.e. the things that power your pocket calculator or can go on your roof to help power your home) are turbine-less, but also too expensive to make up a competitive power plant..
watch in half speed he's like your really drunk engineering uncle
My sides are aching
This is 100% True and Factual. I also thank you
wait why were you watching this in half speed in the first place? i expect you to remember.
Reminds me of my astrophysicist brother when he gets drunk.
Claire Revelle
that sounds scary...
Using this in a paper I have to write for my emergency management class...figuring out how to put this into my reference pages was fun, haha. Thanks for the great info!!
Holy shit it’s young hank
I've heard Hank talk about a lot of things, but rarely have I heard this much emotion in his voice.
Your video about the Heath Care Overhaul and this one are amazing. Such a great way to expose people to complex topics in an easy to understand manner without oversimplifying or dumbing down the content.
I prefer "new" "clear," and one day intend to start a bottled water company named :"new clear," so we can all drink New Clear water.
Enjoy an ice-cold Nuka-Cola today!
Radithor Certified Radioactive Water might own the rights to that already.
Haha, radicalbacon - great one, keep up the good work 😄
there's already Chernobyl vodka.....
Merennulli yes.... someone who like to ready science history.....besides me.
Hello from 2019, Hank. You look so young.
Ok
This video really helped me understand what's going on a lot more than the news and articles and stuff. Thank you Hank :)
Thanks for taking the time to make this really great explanation of how everything works.
society does value oppinion over knowledge
6 years later and I agree
Even though it has been at least 2 years ago my heart still cries for the people affected. Peace and love from the US
Diana Peña I wasn't aware people didn't care about the tsunami. It's true that people moved on immediately to the plant, but I think that was more to do with staying on top of new developments than anything else. Oh, and I guess had the plant meltdown been as big a disaster as it could have been, it would have affected many more countries than just Japan, so it's really understandable that it was the focus. Still, I don't think I'll ever forget the images I saw of the tsunami. I have several friends I lost touch with years ago who were living in the areas affected. I never found out if they were okay. =(
this is exactly the kind of video i have come to love the vlogbrothers for. passionate. educational. relevant.
2 questions.
1. What are control rods made of?
2. How did the fuel rods create hydrogen by splitting water atoms? What is the environment hank is talking about that combined with heat allowed the creation of hydrogen?
Control rods are made out of dense and stable atoms that's capable of absorbing the neutrons shot out from the fission of uranium without going under fission themselves because they are stable and dense.
When the water H2O came in contact with the neutrons and protons that were shot out and left over from the uranium.
The high energy proton/neutrons carrying the huge amount of energy will break the hydrogen bond on the H2O. However that huge amount of energy they were hit with(from the proton or neutron) will cause the oxygen/hydrogen to have a huge amount of excess energy and they want to go into a lower energy and more stable state by shooting out xrays and gamma rays(i.e. high frequency photons), as well as heat and visible light.
However it's the gamma and x rays that can ionize atoms(basically means knock a electron out of its shell). Ionization is especially bad when a gamma ray gets into your body and knocks a electron out of a hydrogen and the hydrogen/electron try to find another others to bond to(sometimes DNA).
Ah ok, thank you. Yeah, gamma is bad news bears. I just didn't quite understand what he meant by the "environment" he spoke of. I thought perhaps something else besides just the breaking of the H2O might have had a part in it.
fullmetalfunk So fun fact, it is safer to eat something emitting gamma radiation than it is to carry it in you pocket (not to say that you should)
Really? What is the reason behind that? I can't imagine you digestive tract shields gamma rays any better than denim and skin haha.
Source :) explains it much better then i can. www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1hbd86
The issue with nuclear power in this case, as far as I can tell, is not with the nuclear power stations themselves but rather their locations. Japan is an extremely natural disaster-prone area, sitting right on top of a major earthquake zone. The fact that it's such a long and skinny island with lots of mountains means that most stuff is confined to near the coast, which makes it susceptible to tsunamis as well. I feel like nuclear power plants are a good idea and a much better power source than fossil fuels, but that they should only be built in mostly disaster-free areas. You can never find a place with no natural disasters, but Canada's nuclear power stations in Ontario, most reactors in Europe, etc. are much safer than those in Japan or California.
Sparsely populated would be good too. Of which Canada has an abundance of.
@vlogbrothers Thanks for the response! I'm just always impressed how much you and John know and can explain effortlessly. Thanks!
i showed my science teacher this video and she REALLY liked it!
she's even going to show my class this video!
spreading the awesomeness hank!
I can't hear the difference between the different ways hes trying to pronounce nuclear, so I worry I must be doing it wrong.... ;3;
Same...
+Ninjozata Nuke-Yoo-Ler versus Nuke-leer
+Ninjozata Noo-qu-lar Vs Noo-klee-ar
+Jesse Kangas New-Clear vs Noo (like "two") clear.
+Ninjozata Noo-kyoo-ler vs noo-clear
I love how he talks about the correct pronunciation of nuclear then goes on to pronounce fission as "fizzion".
It is great to have someone explaining whats going on without offering a pile of bias and opinion .... good work.
is that a vacuum cleaner in the background noise
A white noise machine perhaps? Or maybe his mic is too close to his computer.
Am i the only person who cannot hear the difference between pronouncing it nookyooler and nuclear ? i don't get why its such a big deal to some people. i can't even tell which way hank is pronouncing it, sounds exactly the same
lee york This is a common problem -- some people cannot hear the difference. Maybe it helps to have an exaggerated phonetic spelling for both. The "wrong way" is "new-cue-lar" and the right way is "new-clee-ar"/"new-clear" (depending on how you want to spell out the diphtong in "clear"). In any case. The difference is whether you insert sounds between the hard c and the l sound. This transposition of sounds is called metathesis, and has historically changed many words in the English language -- for example it used to be "three" and "thrid", but is not "three and "third".
Some people are finnicky about the idea that language evolves with time -- or they say they don't mind if say, their favorite author is coining a new word, but not because of more natural or efficient pronunciations arise, which they see as "degrading the language" and "uncultured". Others make the arguments that changes in pronunciation erode the etymology of words. However, many dialects of english do have many metathesis in their standard pronunciation, and it is not specifically "lower class" or "bad" for these differences to exist. Some, eventually, lead to spelling reforms.
I'm actually learning about all of this in my chemistry class right now and this helps a lot.
Thanks, Hank :D
Physics GCSE tomorrow, and this is one of the chapters almost word for word, but explained in an awesome way so I'm more likely to remember it. Thanks Hank.
***** It would be great to follow up this video with the latest info the status at Fukishima. Not to dwell on the negative but I've since heard of irradiated materials making it to US shores and some DNA-disrupted aquatic life as a result of conditions there. Also, a Part II might include a tribute word to the senior volunteer workers who put themselves in harm's way rather than younger volunteers. I'd also love to hear more info on the nuclear impact the disaster has had on the environment 2 years later. Thx!
But a pound of Thorium [In an MSR] is much safer but makes as much power as 300 pounds of uranium.
www.popsci.com/technology/article/2011-06/next-gen-nuke-designs-promise-safe-efficient-emissions-free-energy
Yevgeniy Gorbachev But you can't weaponise Thorium. Which is why the tech never took off.
Thanks a lot humanity.
Yevgeniy Gorbachev There are sociopolitical implications, U-233 is needed to start the reaction since thorium is not fissile, and U-233 is quiet rare and difficult to handle. The presence of lithium is complicated since Li-6 is a neutron poison, turning into tritium and accepting a neutron, making the reaction harder to start without isotropic destilation. There is also the issue of fluoride, which makes many radioactive isotopes highly soluble (Caesium, Strontium), which makes storage of nuclear waste harder, and at the same time, fluoride reacts with plutonium, americium and curium forming compounds that are not soluble in the molten salt interface. All of this issues (and many others) can be solved, and i assure you, countries like India and China are working on it, but the simple fact is that it's relatively new and barely tested technology that needs more development before we see it being used in practice.
I see. There was a popsci article that gave me that info, and it looked nice how they said it.
a pound of uranium before or after enrichment?
I love how clear your explanations are. Thank you.
Thank you for making this video. As always, your explanation has helped me to better understand this complex issue.
I somehow just realized that Jimmy Neutron was named for ..like ..the neutron
your joking right
nope
Bruh
2019 called
it's Netflix making a series about Chernobyl
Nope. HBO made it.
Hank you are simply an inspiration to me. Just the way you comprehend and explain things makes me want to comprehend and explain things better.. Thank you for exsisting.
I appreciate the explanation, thank you! My heart and prayers go out to those in Japan.
This is precisely what I needed to help me to understand (if not fully, then at least enough to express my concern) the situation in Japan. Thank you Hank for explaining this, Nerdfighteria makes my life
Hank, only you can make the basics of nuclear energy so interesting. Thanks for being awesome.
your explanation is quite simple and clear, i can understand easily.
my friends run away from Fukushima right after we had pretty strong earthquake and they live in Tokyo now. But most of them can not move as of lack of gasoline.
In that 7 minute video i learned more from this fella than i did in about six months worth of chemistry classes. Thank you
You explained that so much better than all the people i've asked at uni, so thank you for that.
Hank that really helped me understand the situation betterl! Thank you for making this video! I'm looking forward to hearing about your trip =)
My Chem teacher explained this to my class for an hour and even drew pictures for us, but, in the end, you made more sense. Thanks! :)
thank you. it means a lot that you offer a unbiased break-down of complicated situations when they happen. prayers & thoughts to japan & everyone else affected by that earthquake.
I spent 3 years studying physics at university and struggling, yet you make it sound so simple.
This is pretty much my project, done in less than seven minutes.
Thanks Hank!
Wow, you were really emotional during this one. It's actually quite refreshing.
Thanks for explaining! This stuff generally confueses me but you always seem to be able to break it down enough for me to understand. :)
I knew all of this from my highschool chem class last year, but you explained it to the layman... beautifully..
"its almost as if our society values opinions more than it values knowledge" - great quote. Thank you hank, once again I have learned a lot about a topic that i previously thought i couldn't understand.
Thanks for the explanation, it was nice to refresh what's a Fission process and stuff.
very nice and clear. Thanks for the explanation ^^
The bit about opinions being valued higher than knowledge hit me too. Thanks for that as well.
I studied humanities, so not much physics and English is not even my mother tongue, but your video is perfectly understandable. I love all of them ! Great work!
Why didn't the news just get you to do this? I saw nothing like this and you explained everything brilliantly!
Thank you for explaining this, it really helps in understanding what's going on
Thank you so much for this, Hank. I'm not gifted in the natural Sciences, so I really appreciate the opportunity to get an explanation of all this from someone who is. Thanks for being awsome, as always.
That's the first time I've ever understood someone explaining a nuclear meltdown and the aspects that go along with it...Hank Green is amazing.
We JUST had a science test on this. This would have been useful as a study tool, even though I got a hundred. I love your educational videos, you're so good at explaining stuff.
I just had an exam in my Inorganic class and one of the questions was about the nuclear reactors in Japan and I totally rocked that question thanks to this video!
Hey thanks man! you broadened my knowledge and i appreciate that a lot.
Thank you. I was having a hard time explaining this to my son. You taught me a few things too.
If I must say, you did an excellent job presenting the facts in careful regard to the current situation in Japan. By the way, you get bonus points from me by actually explaining it in a rational and interesting manner and actually stating that society clearly values a person's point of view over true knowledge! Finally, I am not the only one with that perspective! Anyway, good video and keep up the good work enlightening the masses, Sir!
I can only hope people understand this. You made it very easy to understand.
If you were my science teacher i'd learn an entire year's course in about 3 weeks! This is very interesting! Thank you x
Thank you for doing the research to gain the knowledge to explain to others in a straightforward way what is going on. This information filled in some gaps in my understanding about how and why heat is still being produced even though the control rods stopped the reaction.
P.S. Thanks for just bringing information. I will forum my own opinions once I have a better understanding of both sides of this issue.
The world needs more people like you that can explain in common language the important facts that get lost in the complicated world of academia.
I got the overall idea of what was going on when this happened but there's a lot more to it than I even imagined. Thanks Hank!!
Very informative and easy to understand. Thank you hank. You rock.
Welcome home Hank. Thank you for articulating what newscasters haven't been able too in almost 2 weeks. Please update us on Haiti when you have time, and pray for the Haitians and those in Japan who are battling so many catastrophes.
We had a worker from a nuclear power plant come in and explain how they work in our science class, although he was great, you still did a much better job!
John, thank you for explaining the whole nuclear disaster and how it was able to lead to a meltdown. I took chemistry, so I can understand everything that you said. You took the complex situation and described it in a way that was easily understandable.
With so much technology and research, I'm amazed that a method has not been found to dispose of used nuclear products safetly and quickly.
Though this video was so long (for a vlogbrothers video), it didn't feel like it. Kudos sir, kudos.
Might have to watch this a few times to really 'get it' but I have a way better understanding now! Thanks Hank!
Because of this video, I got an A on my college level Environment Science test. THANK YOU HANK GREEN.
@KikiNickle Also- the water acts as a shield from the radiation of the rod in the cooling tanks, that is part of why they are having so many problems with unit 4 since there was an explosion in the cooling tank they are dealing with radiation issues which are manageable as long as they don't become contamination issues.
Great explanation! It simplifies everything!
Great explanation, very clear and I appreciate his emotional approach as well.
Interesting vlog, Hank! I have to say you explained it really well. And I like that you're an environmentalist who hasn't made up their mind on nuclear. That shows me you really do think about this stuff and try to be objective as possible. I was expecting to see it end with a harsh judgement on nuclear but you surprised me! And I don't surprise easy.
I can't believe I actually followed and understood all of that. Thank you Hank.
This sums up what I need to learn for my Physics GCSE, thanks Hank!
one of the best hank videos
I learned a great deal from this video. Thanks, Hank!
Thank you for explaining this in a relatively simple way. Now I can show-off to my science teacher at our next class! :D
Thanks for turning the matter into terms i can clearly understand.
Very informative video! You explain stuff really well.
Also, I saw "Fission Products" and thought "Fishing Boat Procedes". My brain was elsewhere for a minute.
John, thank you for explaining the whole nuclear disaster and how it was able to lead to a meltdown. I took chemistry, so I can understand everything that you said. You took the complex situation and described it in a way that was easily understandable.
It's really risky. People may not think about how it affects their life as long as they have energy
Exceptional sir! Great layman's explanation. If we could stop all this mess it would be great.
Thank you Hank, your explanation was very helpful.
I realize this is an old video, I just got pulled here after seeing your Chernobyl video. I wanted to point out that the spent fuel rods actually DO still contain a great deal of uranium. Commercial reactor fuel rods are considered spent well before they run out of U235. They are "spent" however, because the low concentration (or enrichment level) of U235 makes them inefficient at maintaining a sustainable reaction. Spent fuel rods can be reprocessed and re-enriched into new fuel rods for future Reactor consumption.
I'm not sure if I've favorited this video yet, but I would favorite it again and again because it's informative, makes a good point, and supports the idea that the truth resists simplicity.
Oh my goodness this is GREAT! I'm just learning about this in Chemistry and I'm SO EXCITED!!! Thank you so much for making the basics easy to understand....so the book makes more sense!!!
My Sister’s a civil engineer and told me about a colleague who went to a conference on japan about earthquake design before the disaster. Apparently the reactor was only rated for up ti a magnitude 8 earthquake (i think) when it is well known that the area can expect something similar or greater. When this was pointed out as a potential issue, they were laughed out of the room… maybe hindsight is 20/20 but it sure makes me wonder how these disasters can be foreseen and so thoroughly ignored
Absolutely fantastic video! You made everything sound so clear. If only my science teachers were like you, I would actually pay attention during lessons rather than play Bejeweled 2 on my ipod at the back of the classroom.
Dude, you make the world better just by being you. You rock.
@sporeglitcher it's the most efficient method we have to capture heat. Also, it has an above average efficiency, because any heat created by moving parts is also captured, which is more than can be said about car engines. mirrors reflecting light onto pipes are much cheaper than solar panels (per kilowatt produced), and usually are even lower maintenance than solar panels, which need to be replaced every 10-20 years to maintain efficiency.
First day of spring break and I'm already learning stuff again.
My boyfriend is a chemistry major and he now understands my obsession with TH-cam. Thank you Hank :)
Thank you for clearing things up for me!