Question #2e7d1
1 Answer
Jan 17, 2015
A nuclear reactor is comprised of a grid of reactor rods with control rods in between. These control rods limit the rate of the nuclear reaction, preventing the core from overheating.
When these control rods fail, or if coolants are lost, the reactor can get significantly hotter than the normal operating temperature, and a nuclear meltdown can occur. The nuclear fuel element is heated beyond its melting point, and the fuel begins to melt. The fuel can leak out into the coolant, and the high temperatures also result in a variety of other issues within the reactor. This is very dangerous because of the potential for the fuel to leak outside of its containment, posing a high radiation threat to the environment.
