How Do You Spell CHINA-SYNDROME?

Pronunciation: [t͡ʃˈa͡ɪnəsˈɪndɹə͡ʊm] (IPA)

The word "china-syndrome" refers to a hypothetical nuclear reactor accident in which the core melts through the earth's crust. It is spelled as /ˈtʃaɪ.nə ˌsɪn.drəm/ in IPA phonetic transcription. The first syllable is pronounced like "chai" as in the tea, followed by "nuh" and "sin". The emphasis is on the second syllable, "syndrome". The origin of the term comes from the idea that the molten core would continue to melt through the Earth until it reached China.

CHINA-SYNDROME Meaning and Definition

  1. The term "China Syndrome" refers to a hypothetical catastrophic event that could occur at a nuclear power plant in which the reactor's core melts through the floor of the containment building and burrows into the ground, eventually making its way to China. This concept gained popularity following the release of the 1979 film "The China Syndrome," which depicted a nuclear meltdown scenario.

    In a more technical sense, the China Syndrome is a specific sequence of events that would result from a nuclear reactor losing its ability to cool down its core, leading to a runaway reaction. Initially, the intense heat generated by the nuclear fuel causes it to melt through the reactor vessel, eventually reaching the concrete floor of the containment building. As the molten fuel interacts with the concrete, it reacts, releasing hydrogen gas and generating further heat. This prolonged reaction could cause the core to continue melting through the floor and potentially even penetrate the earth's crust.

    The name "China Syndrome" is derived from the notion that if the core were to melt all the way through the Earth, it would theoretically reach China due to the United States' geographical location. While it is highly unlikely for the core to penetrate the Earth to such an extent, the term is used symbolically to depict a worst-case scenario in terms of a nuclear power plant accident.

Common Misspellings for CHINA-SYNDROME

  • china syndome
  • china syndrom
  • chyna syndrome
  • chine syndrome
  • chinapsyndrome
  • china0-syndrome
  • china-0syndrome
  • chinap-syndrome
  • china-psyndrome
  • china--syndrome
  • chinamsyndrome
  • chighna-syndrome
  • Chine-Syndrom
  • Chyna-Syndrom

Etymology of CHINA-SYNDROME

The term "China Syndrome" originated in the 1960s and has its roots in the field of nuclear energy.

The word "China" refers to the notion that if a nuclear reactor's core were to melt through the floor of its containment building, it would theoretically continue downwards through the Earth until it reached China. This premise was based on the assumption that China was on the opposite side of the Earth for most Western countries and was utilized to describe a catastrophic situation that could occur in a nuclear reactor.

The word "syndrome" comes from the Greek word "sundromē", which means "running together" or "concurrence of symptoms". It is often used to describe a set of symptoms or characteristics associated with a particular condition or situation.

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