Question:
can anyone explain how japans radiation leak relates to chemistry/nuclear chemistry?
Answer:
When the nuclear fuel is exposed to air it overheats and creates hydrogen. If the hydrogen isn't vented it builds up pressure and cracks the containment vessel. Hydrogen is highly chemically reactive, so when it comes in contact with air (oxygen) it rapidly combusts (aka explodes) and the explosion will spread the nuclear fuel all over. That is what happened in Chernobyl. In Fukushima, the better reactor design vented the hydrogen outside the containment vessel and only damaged the plants' outer shells, leaving the nuclear fuel inside the containment vessel.
Here is an informative article describing the situation:
http://bravenewclimate.com/2011/03/13/fu…
And here is where you find current, factual status information:
http://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/tsun…
And here is a chart that helps make sense of the numbers:
http://www.xkcd.com/radiation/
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