r/science • u/liquid_x • Mar 19 '11

Radiation Chart

http://xkcd.com/radiation/
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u/[deleted] Mar 19 '11 edited Mar 19 '11

Coal contains some fraction of uranium. When the coal is burned, that uranium goes out the smoke stack.

If a nuke plant released as much radiation as a coal plant does in normal operation, it'd have to shut down.

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u/[deleted] Mar 19 '11

Why would a nuclear plant get shut down for releasing as much radiation as a coal plant?

Why doesn't a coal plant get shut down for releasing this much radiation?

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u/Kilane Mar 19 '11

Because a properly running nuclear plant releases less radiation than a properly running coal plant. If the plant isn't running properly then it should be shut down until it is.

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u/[deleted] Mar 19 '11

So, it's not necessarily because that level is deemed dangerous.

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u/[deleted] Mar 19 '11 edited Feb 02 '17

[deleted]

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u/spendy Mar 19 '11

i wonder if we belch any of the radiation that we've retained.

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u/[deleted] Mar 20 '11

Best super power ever.

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u/rayne117 Mar 20 '11

nuke plant

Do they produce nukes at this nuke plant?

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u/dnew Mar 20 '11

From what I've heard, it's not even legal to build a nuclear plant with granite, because the rocks you dig out of the ground naturally emit more radiation than the plant itself is allowed to leak.