Title: What Is Plutonium? Characteristics of This Nuclear Fuel
Headings: What Is Plutonium?
What Is Plutonium?
What Is Plutonium Used For?
Role of Plutonium in Nuclear Reactors
Where Is Plutonium Found on Earth?
How Many Neutrons Does Plutonium Have?
Management of Recovered Plutonium in Nuclear Reactors
Health Hazard
Environmental Effects
References

Content: If a large piece of plutonium is placed in the water, the heat released can make the water boil. Plutonium provides electrical energy in space probes and space vehicles. The ability of plutonium to generate heat makes it an ideal material for use in thermoelectric generator applications. A thermoelectric generator is a device that converts heat into electricity . Generating electricity through such a generator is not practical on a large scale. Anyway, they are very interesting in certain conditions. These thermoelectric generators have been used in artificial pacemakers for people with heart conditions. The most used isotope for this application is plutonium-238 because the radiation it emits does not pose a threat to people's health. Plutonium is also used as fuel in nuclear power plants and in the manufacture of nuclear weapons (" atomic bombs "). The isotope used for this purpose is plutonium-239.