Pu
Plutonium
Element 94 · 244.0642 u
Plutonium is used in nuclear weapons and as fuel for space probes.
Physical Properties
| Atomic Mass | 244.0642 u |
| Density | 19.84 g/cm³ |
| Melting Point | 912.5 K |
| Boiling Point | 3501.0 K |
| Appearance | Silvery-white, tarnishes to gray |
| State at Room Temp | Solid |
Chemical Properties
| Electronegativity | 1.28 (Pauling) |
| 1st Ionization Energy | 584.7 kJ/mol |
| Electron Affinity | -48.33 kJ/mol |
| Oxidation States | +3, +4, +5, +6, +7 |
Atomic Properties
| Electron Configuration | [Rn] 5f6 7s2 |
| Atomic Radius | 159.0 pm |
| Van der Waals Radius | 243.0 pm |
Discovery
| Discovered By | Glenn T. Seaborg, Arthur Wahl, Joseph W. Kennedy, Edwin McMillan |
| Discovery Year | 1940 |
| Location | Berkeley, California, USA |
| Named After | Named after the dwarf planet Pluto |
About Plutonium
Plutonium was used in the first nuclear test (Trinity) and the Nagasaki bomb. It has six allotropes, more than any other element. Plutonium-238 powers space probe RTGs.
Uses & Applications
Nuclear weapons, reactor fuel (MOX), radioisotope thermoelectric generators, and historical pacemaker batteries.
Fun Fact
Plutonium has six allotropes -- more than any other element -- and was code-named 'copper' during the Manhattan Project.
Isotopes
| Mass Number | Abundance | Half-Life | Stable |
| 238 | - | 87.7 years | No |
| 239 | - | 24,110 years | No |
| 240 | - | 6,561 years | No |
| 244 | - | 80.8 million years | No |
Electron Configuration
[Rn] 5f6 7s2