Title: Plutonium Facts (Pu or Atomic Number 94)
Headings: Plutonium Facts (Pu or Atomic Number 94)
Plutonium Facts (Pu or Atomic Number 94)
Plutonium Chemical and Physical Properties
Plutonium Basic Facts
Electron Configuration: [Rn] 5f 6 7s 2
Plutonium Physical Data
Sources

Content: Larger pieces of plutonium give off sufficient heat to boil water. Plutonium is a radiological poison and must be handled with care. It is also important to take precautions to prevent the unintentional formation of critical mass. Plutonium is more likely to become critical in liquid solution than as a solid. The shape of the mass is an important factor for criticality. Uses: Plutonium is used as an explosive in nuclear weapons. The complete detonation of a kilogram of plutonium produces an explosion equal to that produced by approximately 20,000 tons of chemical explosive. One kilogram of plutonium is equivalent to 22 million kilowatt hours of heat energy, so plutonium is important for nuclear power. Toxicity: