In their most stable forms, Uranium has an atomic mass of 238 and plutonium has an atomic mass of 244, plutonium has a greater mass than that of Uranium.
Plutonium and enriched uranium are different materials.Enriched uranium is uranium with a concentration of the isotope 235U greater than the natural concentration of 0,7 %.
Chemical symbols of: Mercury - Hg Uranium - U Plutonium - Pu Neptunium - Np
The isotope plutonium-239, which is synthesized from uranium, has 94 protons (like all isotopes of plutonium) and 145 neutrons in its nucleus. Use the link below for more information on plutonium.
The mass of the uranium nucleus after splitting into two pieces is slightly less than the mass of the original uranium nucleus before splitting. This is due to the conversion of a small amount of mass into energy in accordance with Einstein's famous equation, E=mc^2.
Uranium-238 is converted to plutonium-239 through a process called nuclear transmutation. This typically involves bombarding uranium-238 with neutrons in a controlled environment, such as a nuclear reactor. The uranium-238 absorbs a neutron and undergoes a series of nuclear reactions, eventually transforming into plutonium-239.
The atomic mass of the most common isotope of plutonium (Pu-234) is higher than the masses of the uranium natural isotopes.
The critical mass of plutonium is lower, plutonium is not so expensive as highly enriched uranium, the technology to obtain plutonium is more simple than the isotopic separa-tion of uranium, etc.
Uranium is a natural chemical element, plutonium is an artificial element (but note that plutonium exist also naturally in the earth crust in extremely low concentrations). Uranium has the atomic number 92 and plutonium 94. The critical mass of uranium is greater than the critical mass of plutonium. The melting and boiling points of U and Pu are different. Uranium has an orthorombic crystalline structure; the structure of plutonium is monoclinic. And many other physical and chemical properties are different.
Natural plutonium exist in uranium ores in extremely traces - parts per trillion or less.
Uranium and plutonium can form alloys.
Plutonium and uranium can form alloys.
The plutonium isotope with 145 neutrons is plutonium-242 (Pu-242). This isotope has 97 protons (since all plutonium isotopes have 94 protons) and a total atomic mass of approximately 242 atomic mass units.
Plutonium is more dangerous: the specific activity is greater, the critical mass is smaller, the chemical toxicity is greater.
Yes, it is possible to recycle "burned" uranium and plutonium.
The atomic radii of uranium and plutonium are identical.
Plutonium is obtained from uranium irradiated in nuclear reactors, consequently the production of plutonium depends on uranium resources.
Yes, plutonium IS used in nuclear weaponry it is one of the two fission fuels (the other is enriched uranium) that provide the energy for the explosion. Traditionally plutonium has been the prefered fission fuel, as it is less expensive to manufacture in quantity with nuclear reactors than is enriching uranium and also has a lower critical mass than enriched uranium. However because plutonium is manufactured in reactors it is "contaminated" with heavier plutonium isotopes that have high rates of spontaneous fission and are more radioactive, making it unsuitable for a few bomb designs for which enriched uranium must be used.