The Chernobyl accident involved which event?

• A. A steam explosion destroying the reactor and causing fatalities and environmental damage.
• B. A meteor strike.
• C. A flood of the reactor building.
• D. A minor fire with no radiation release.

Answer: (A)

During the safety test, a rapid power rise caused a steam explosion that destroyed the reactor and released large amounts of radioactivity, leading to plant worker fatalities and widespread environmental contamination. This explosive destruction and radiation release are what define the Chernobyl disaster, not external impacts or minor fires. The other scenarios—meteor strike, a flood, or a small fire with no radiation—do not produce the scale of damage or radiological release that actually occurred.