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If the sample of plutonium was the correct isotope and near it's critical mass (300g IIRC) then it would gain sufficient mass to go super critical and undergo fission. This is the principal with which the first ever nuclear weapons were detonated. However if you're firing at a smaller sample it's unlikely there would be anything other than a chemical reaction with the uranium igniting and forming uranium oxide.

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If you had a 100 gram sample of plutonium how much would be left in 43 years?

The half life of the isotope 239Pu (the most known plutonium isotope) is 24,200 years; 43 years is practically nothing in comparison is 24,200 years so you would still have 100 grams.


How is plutonium made?

Plutonium is made by the activation of uranium by neutrons. A shaped amount of refined uranium is lowered into an operating nuclear reactor, and the sample is bathed in the neutron flux of the operating reactor. Uranium atoms capture a neutron (via neutron absorption) and transform into plutonium.There are several ways to create plutonium. One is neutron absorption of uranium, followed by two stages of beta decay ...92238U + 01N --> 92239U --> Beta- --> 93239Np --> Beta- --> 94239Pu... leaving out the electrons and the electron antineutrinos.Another way is deuteron bombardment ...92238U + 12D --> 93238Np --> Beta- --> 94238Pu... again, leaving out the electrons and the electron antineutrinos.


How much activity is in 25 kilograms of 5 percent enriched uranium?

To calculate the activity of the uranium, you would need to know the specific activity of the enriched uranium sample. Activity is measured in becquerels (Bq) or curies (Ci) and it indicates the rate at which a sample undergoes radioactive decay. The specific activity takes into account both the enrichment level and the total mass of the sample.


What is the Half- Life of plutonium?

The half life of the most important isotope (239Pu) is 2,41.104 years.


How can a sample of uranium-235 that has critical mass be induced to react in a controlled nuclear fission reaction?

To induce a controlled nuclear fission reaction in a sample of uranium-235 with critical mass, the sample needs to be bombarded with neutrons. This process, known as neutron bombardment, triggers the splitting of uranium-235 atoms, releasing energy and more neutrons to sustain the chain reaction. By controlling the rate of neutron bombardment, scientists can regulate the fission process and harness the released energy for various applications, such as generating electricity in nuclear power plants.

Related Questions

How much Pu 239 is typically found a uranium sample?

A pure and fresh prepared uranium sample don't contain plutonium; only the irradiated (in a nuclear reactor) uranium contain plutonium.


If you had a 100 gram sample of plutonium how much would be left in 43 years?

The half life of the isotope 239Pu (the most known plutonium isotope) is 24,200 years; 43 years is practically nothing in comparison is 24,200 years so you would still have 100 grams.


How is plutonium made?

Plutonium is made by the activation of uranium by neutrons. A shaped amount of refined uranium is lowered into an operating nuclear reactor, and the sample is bathed in the neutron flux of the operating reactor. Uranium atoms capture a neutron (via neutron absorption) and transform into plutonium.There are several ways to create plutonium. One is neutron absorption of uranium, followed by two stages of beta decay ...92238U + 01N --> 92239U --> Beta- --> 93239Np --> Beta- --> 94239Pu... leaving out the electrons and the electron antineutrinos.Another way is deuteron bombardment ...92238U + 12D --> 93238Np --> Beta- --> 94238Pu... again, leaving out the electrons and the electron antineutrinos.


How do you make a pure sample of americium?

Americium is an artificial element (only extremely traces exist naturally on the earth); it is obtained by nuclear reactions (from uranium or plutonium) and a very long and difficult process of separation.


How many kilograms of Uranium-238 did the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki each contain?

None. The first atomic bomb was made with enriched uranium. Note: There is a "slight technicality" with this one. Here's the deal. Any time that a small quantity (or a slightly larger quantity) of uranium is found, either in nature or in the physics lab, there will be a tiny bit of plutonium in the sample. Only the tiniest bit, but it will be there. Uranium's isotopes are all unstable, and they will decay by spontaneous fission or alpha emission. Within that decay environment, a few atoms of uranium are transformed into atoms of plutonium. As stated, it's a "technicality" as such, but it's a fact.


What does uranium look like?

Uranium is a dense, silvery-white metal that is weakly radioactive. In its natural state, it has a metallic luster and can also appear as a black oxide when exposed to air. It is primarily used in nuclear reactors and weapons.


To perform Uranium-235 dating on a sample what must be true?

The sample must contain Uranium-235.


What do you do to perform Uranium-235 dating on a sample?

To perform Uranium-235 dating on a sample, you would measure the ratio of Uranium-235 to its decay product Lead-207 in the sample. By comparing this ratio to known rates of radioactive decay, you can determine the age of the sample. This method is commonly used for dating rocks and minerals that contain Uranium-235.


Why is a sample of uranium compound found to be losing mass gradually?

The loss of mass in a sample of uranium compound could be due to radioactive decay, where uranium isotopes (e.g., uranium-238) are converting into other elements and emitting particles in the process. This decay leads to the creation of daughter products and a decrease in the overall mass of the sample over time.


What is half life of plutonium?

The half life of plutonium-239 is 2,41.10e+4 years.


Where does plutonium come from?

Plutonium is an artificial element, discovered in 1940 at Berkeley Laboratories by Glenn Seaborg and Edwin McMillan; plutonium is obtained by nuclear reactions: 23892U + 10n ----→ 23992U --- β- -→ 23993Np --- β- -→ 23994Pu


What is uranium-lead method?

The uranium-lead method is a radiometric dating technique used to determine the age of rocks and minerals. It relies on the radioactive decay of uranium isotopes to lead isotopes in minerals. By measuring the ratio of uranium to lead in a sample, scientists can calculate the age of the sample.