This is a very sophisticated first post, I wish you had joined the conversation earlier to offer your insights, we have been discussing this stuff for a couple of months.
disclaimer: I am not a scientist but I have taken a couple of physics courses so I have basic ideas about what might go on but obviously DIAP and Chris, in their extreme generosity and sincere desire to help the rest of us, are probably the best ones to answer your questions. Nonetheless, I have my own ideas.
“But what could be there holding these extremely hot liquids in place?”-well, liquids boil off at higher temperatures under pressure. Think of the methane crystals at the bottom of the ocean that vaporize at sea level. It would appear that these containment vessels had some degree of pressure within them; if not why would we see such violent hydrogen explosions? of course, this is speculation, not fact so my apologies in advance
“Natural potassium (40K) in a typical human body produces 4,000 disintegrations per second, 4 kBq (Becquerels
) of activity. That’s 4,000 Bq for only the potassium in the body, and does not include all the other isotopes in the body.-”
Where are you getting 100,000 Bq from? I have read Chris’ post and do not see that particular number. Also, Chris and DIAP have gone out of their way to distinguish between radiation and isotope contamination. They are looking at radiation emitting from the reactors to assess whether there was some breach of the containment vessel, and Chris here IMHO is talking about that issue, not contamination of humans and direct health effects.
“1kg brick of naturally occurring potasium metal emits 31,825 Bq. So 100,000 Bq is not nice, but not a raving emergency. Bq also does not differentiate between alpha and beta particles. Alphas can be absorbed by a single thickness of paper and can become an issue only when ingested.”
this is the point that DIAP and Chris have emphasized, contamination versus radiation. Ingesting particles of radioisotope is a bigger problem than the radiation. That’s why he is suggesting checking the radiation being emitted from foodstuffs in question.
thanks for hearing my responses, the experts will be much better at giving more sophisticated ideas on this but since you asked…take care