Discovery Information
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Who: G.T.Seaborg, J.W.Kennedy, E.M.McMillan, A.C.Wohl
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When: 1940 |
Where: United States |
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Name Origin
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From planet Pluto. |
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Sources
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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.
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Uses
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Used in bombs and reactors. Complete detonation of plutonium will produce an explosion equivalent to 20 kilotons of Trinitrotoluene
(TNT) per kilogram (of plutonium).
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Notes
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The heat given off by alpha particle emission makes plutonium warm to the touch in reasonable quantities; larger amounts can boil water.
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All isotopes and compounds of plutonium are toxic and radioactive.
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When taken in by mouth, plutonium is less poisonous (except for risk of causing cancer) than several common substances including
caffeine, acetaminophen, some vitamins, pseudoephedrine, and any number of plants and fungi. It is perhaps somewhat more poisonous
than pure ethanol (C2H5OH), but less so than tobacco; and many illegal drugs. From a purely chemical standpoint, it is about as poisonous as lead and other heavy metals.
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