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Plutonium

Plutonium is a radioactive, metallic, chemical element.

It has the symbol Pu and the atomic number 94.

It is the element used in most modern nuclear weapons.

The most important, albeit not most stable, isotope of plutonium is 239Pu, with a half-life of 24,110 years.

Note: The above text is excerpted from the Wikipedia article "Plutonium", which has been released under the GNU Free Documentation License.

For more information, see the following related content on ScienceDaily:

Origin of Heavy Elements in the Universe Uncovered

Dec. 8, 2015 — A team of scientists suggests a solution to the Galactic radioactive plutonium puzzle. All the Plutonium used on Earth is artificially produced in nuclear reactors. Still, it turns out that it is ... read more

Plutonium Keeps Its Electrons Close to Home

Sep. 15, 2016 — Extremely complex plutonium has ties to energy and security. Scientists found that plutonium's behavior, in plutonium tetrafluoride, can be attributed to atoms hoarding ... read more

Chemical Element 112 Is Officially Named 'Copernicium'

Feb. 25, 2010 — The heaviest recognized chemical element with the atomic number 112 was discovered at the GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung and -- since February 19, 2010, -- officially carries the name ... read more

Rutgers Physicists Tackle Plutonium Complexities

Apr. 16, 2001 — Three physicists, members of Rutgers' Center for Materials Theory in the department of physics and astronomy, have devised the first reliable method to predict the physical properties of ... read more

Chemical Element 114: One of Heaviest Elements Created

June 23, 2010 — An international team of scientists in Germany has succeeded in the observation of the chemical element 114, one of the heaviest elements created until now. The production of element 114 is very ... read more

Improving Detection of Radioactive Material in Nuclear Waste Water

Nov. 13, 2013 — As the Fukushima crisis continues to remind the world of the potential dangers of nuclear disposal and unforeseen accidents, scientists are reporting progress toward a new way to detect the ... read more

Combating Nuclear Proliferation: New Method 'De-Claws' Nuclear Fuel Producers Ensuring Only Peaceful Plutonium Use

Mar. 5, 2009 — Engineers have developed a technique to "denature" plutonium created in large nuclear reactors, making it unsuitable for use in nuclear arms. By adding Americium (Am 241), a form of the ... read more

Volume of Nuclear Waste Could Be Reduced by 90 Percent, Says New Research

Nov. 6, 2013 — Engineers have developed a way to significantly reduce the volume of some higher activity nuclear wastes, which will reduce the cost of interim storage and final ... read more

Scientists Unlock Physical, Chemical Secrets Of Plutonium

Mar. 29, 2007 — Researchers at Rutgers University have unlocked some of the physical and chemical secrets of plutonium. In this week's issue of Nature, physicists report that the valence electrons fluctuate ... read more

Historic Sample Of Bomb-Grade Plutonium Discovered

Mar. 5, 2009 — Scientists in Washington state are reporting the surprise discovery of the oldest known sample of reactor-produced bomb-grade plutonium, a historic relic from the infancy of America's nuclear ... read more

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