Chemical data for Pu - Plutonium | PhysLink.com

Plutonium

 Plutonium 
Pu
Atomic Number: 94
Atomic Weight: -244.0
Element Type: Rare Earth Metal
Crystal Structure: Monoclinic
Melting Point: 640.0°C = 1184.0°F = 913.15 K
Boiling Point: 3228.0°C = 5842.4°F = 3501.15 K
Critical Temp: °C = °F = K
Atomic Radius: Å (Å = Angstrom = 10-10 m)
Covalent Radius: Å
Electronegativity: 1.3

History

(Planet pluto) Plutonium was the second transuranium element of the actinide series tobe discovered. The isotope 238Pu was produced in 1940 by Seaborg,McMillan, Kennedy, and Wahl by deuteron bombardment of uranium in the 60-inch cyclotron atBerkeley, California. Plutonium also exists in trace quantities in naturally occurringuranium ores. It is formed in much the same manner as neptunium, by irradiation of naturaluranium with the neutrons which are present.


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