Discovery Information |
Who:
G.T.Seaborg
, J.W.Kennedy,
E.M.McMillan
, A.C.Wohl |
When: 1940 |
Where: United States |
|
Name Origin |
From planet Pluto. |
|
Sources |
Almost all plutonium is manufactured synthetically, extremely tiny trace amounts are found naturally in uranium ores. Most plutonium is made synthetically by bombarding uranium with
neutrons
. |
|
Uses |
Used in bombs and reactors. Complete detonation of plutonium will produce an explosion equivalent to 20 kilotons of Trinitrotoluene (TNT) per kilogram (of plutonium). |
|
Notes |
The heat given off by
alpha particle emission
makes plutonium warm to the touch in reasonable quantities; larger amounts can boil water. |
All
isotopes
and
compounds
of plutonium are toxic and radioactive. |