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Plutonium-239
Isotope of plutonium / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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This article is about an isotope of plutonium. For the film also known as The Half Life of Timofey Berezin, see Pu-239 (film).
Plutonium-239 (239Pu or Pu-239) is an isotope of plutonium. Plutonium-239 is the primary fissile isotope used for the production of nuclear weapons, although uranium-235 is also used for that purpose. Plutonium-239 is also one of the three main isotopes demonstrated usable as fuel in thermal spectrum nuclear reactors, along with uranium-235 and uranium-233. Plutonium-239 has a half-life of 24,110 years.[1]
Quick Facts General, Symbol ...
![]() A 99.96% pure ring of plutonium | |
General | |
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Symbol | 239Pu |
Names | plutonium-239, 239Pu, Pu-239 |
Protons (Z) | 94 |
Neutrons (N) | 145 |
Nuclide data | |
Half-life (t1/2) | 24110 years |
Isotope mass | 239.0521634 Da |
Spin | +1⁄2 |
Parent isotopes | 243Cm (α) 239Am (EC) 239Np (β−) |
Decay products | 235U |
Decay modes | |
Decay mode | Decay energy (MeV) |
Alpha decay | 5.156 |
Isotopes of plutonium Complete table of nuclides |
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