What is the difference between Chernobyl's nuclear situation and Japan's?

Question:

thats my first question. my 2nd is if you guys think Japan's situation will still be like this in 20 years? If so how bad do you think it will be? And lastly, how did Japan treat their situation different than Chernobyl's?

Answer:

Sonta is correct. There is just no comparison between the two. Chernobyl was a disaster, while Fukushima is a minor problem.

- you guys think Japan's situation will still be like this in 20 years?

Like what. There really isn't any problem unless you are very close to the plant. The damage to Japan was caused by the tsunami. Asking a question like this is similar to asking what the U.S. will be like twenty years after hurricane Katrina.

- And lastly, how did Japan treat their situation different than Chernobyl

Because the two incidents are so different, the methods used can't be compared either. In Chernobyl the reactor blew it's top off because there was no venting, and radioactive material was spread everywhere. Workers could not get near the plant. In Japan the pressure was vented so the containment vessels weren't breached and the problems have been minimal.

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 a slide presentation that describes the effects:
http://www.slideshare.net/iaea/7th-april…

And here is a chart that helps make sense of the numbers:
http://www.xkcd.com/radiation/

Information on Chernobyl:
http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/cherno…