What is a nuclear meltdown?

sequoianoir

A nuclear meltdown occurs when the core of a nuclear reactor melts. In pressurized water reactors, boiling water reactors, and breeder reactors, this can occur after a loss of coolant accident in which emergency cooling systems fail. Basically the container holding the nuclear fission material springs a rather serious leak due to not having any control over its temperature. A nuclear meltdown is also colloquially known as the China syndrome, from the humorously exaggerated notion that molten reactor material would burrow from the United States through the center of the earth and emerge in China, as popularized by the 1979 film, The China Syndrome. Feb 13 04, 7:51 PM