Home History Basic Info Advanced Info and Uses References

Basic Information

Object

Value
Atomic Mass 244.0 g
Molar Mass 244.0 g
Atomic Number 94
Melting Point 639.5 °C
Boiling Point 3228 °C
Density 19.84 g/cm3

How it is Obtained/ Where it is Found?

    Plutonium is man made, and obtained through bombardment of Uranium 238 with deuterons that have been sped up with a cyclotron, or a device like it.  Small traces are also found naturally in Uranium ores, but most agree that Plutonium cannot be found naturally.

It is also collected from the nuclear waste in reactor cores.  The uranium decayed, and there are other fission byproducts.  Therefore, the uranium must be replaced.  There are, however, still leftover plutonium atoms that have not yet decayed.  These can be collected and let fission in a cleaner environment.  During this process, called reprocessing, plutonium nitrates, Pu(NO3)4
and Pu(NO3)3, are formed.

Chemical Properties/ Reaction Tendencies

    Plutonium is a metal solid at room temperature.  It has oxidation states of +3, +4, +5, and +6.  This means that it tends to react with substances with oxidation states of -3, -4, -5, and -6.

An oxidation state is the overall charge of an atom.  Monoatomic substances have the charge of that atom.  Poly atomic substances have the average charge of the substance as if the pairs of electrons belonged to the more electronegative, attractive in terms of electrons, atom.  It is the ability to attract a pair of electrons.  Plutonium itself has an electronegativity of 1.28.

    Plutonium has a valence electron potential of 64.9.  This is its direct measurement of reactivity with other substances.

Interesting Information

    1kg of Plutonium = 22,000,000 kilowatt hours of heat energy.

    Plutonium all over the world: