plutonium-238

Also known as Pu-238, 238Pu

Plutonium-238 (' or Pu-238') is a radioactive isotope of plutonium that has a half-life of 87.7 years.

Key facts

Isotope.symbol: Pu
Isotope.mass_number: 238
Isotope.mass: 238.049553
Isotope.image: Plutonium pellet.jpg
Isotope.image_caption: Plutonium-238 oxide pellet glowing from its decay heat
Isotope.num_neutrons: 144
Isotope.num_protons: 94
Isotope.decay_product: Uranium-234
Isotope.decay_mass: 234
Isotope.decay_symbol: U
Isotope.decay_mode1: Alpha decay
Isotope.decay_energy1: 5.593
Isotope.parent: Curium-242
Isotope.parent_mass: 242
Isotope.parent_symbol: Cm
Isotope.parent_decay: a
Isotope.parent2: Neptunium-238
Isotope.parent2_mass: 238

via Wikipedia infobox

Chemical data

Formula: Pu
Molecular weight: 238.04956 g/mol
IUPAC name: plutonium-238
SMILES: [238Pu]
InChIKey: OYEHPCDNVJXUIW-VENIDDJXSA-N
Polar surface area: 0 Å²
H-bond donors: 0
H-bond acceptors: 0
Formal charge: 0

via PubChem

Wikidata facts

Mass: 238.04955825
Image: Plutonium-238.svg

Show 10 more facts

neutron number: 144
atomic number: 94
half-life: 87.7
spin quantum number: 0.0
parity quantum number: 1
mass excess: 46163.213
binding energy: 1801269.68
canonical SMILES: [238Pu]
chemical formula: Pu
Commons category: Plutonium-238

Sources (6)

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~18 min read

Article

13 sections

Contents

History
Initial production
Manhattan Project
Plutonium-238 and human experimentation
Weapons
Use in radioisotope thermoelectric generators
Nuclear powered pacemakers
Production
U.S. production ceases and resumes
Applications
See also
References
External links

Plutonium-238 (' or Pu-238') is a radioactive isotope of plutonium that has a half-life of 87.7 years.

Plutonium-238 is a very powerful alpha emitter; as alpha particles are easily blocked, this makes the plutonium-238 isotope suitable for usage in radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) and radioisotope heater units. The density of plutonium-238 at room temperature is about 19.8 g/cc. The material will generate about 0.57 watts per gram of 238Pu.