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Weapons-grade plutonium is a specific grade of plutonium-239 that is highly purified and contains a high percentage of the fissile isotope. It is used in the production of nuclear weapons due to its ability to sustain a chain reaction in a nuclear explosion. It is tightly regulated and controlled to prevent its misuse for non-peaceful purposes.
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What element is used for nuclear weapons?
Uranium-235 and Plutonium-239 are the two primary elements used in nuclear weapons due to their ability to sustain a chain reaction necessary for a nuclear explosion.
Pros and cons of plutonium?
Plutonium's pros include its high energy density, making it useful for nuclear weapons and power generation. However, its cons include its extreme toxicity and long half-life, posing serious health and environmental risks. Additionally, plutonium is a proliferation concern due to its potential use in nuclear weapons.
Why plutonium is important?
Plutonium is important because it is a key element in nuclear weapons and nuclear power generation. It is highly reactive and can sustain nuclear chain reactions, making it valuable for use as fuel in nuclear reactors. Additionally, plutonium can be used for scientific research and medical applications.
What metallic element is used in nuclear weapons?
Plutonium is the metallic element used in nuclear weapons. It is highly fissile, meaning it can undergo nuclear fission and sustain a chain reaction in a nuclear bomb.
How much cost 1kg plutonium?
The cost of 1kg of plutonium is difficult to define as it is a controlled substance and generally not sold on the open market. However, estimates suggest that it could be worth millions of dollars due to its rarity and high level of regulation.
What is the difference between fuel of nuclear power plants and the fuel needed to construct a nuclear weapon?
Reactor grade material is usable in most nuclear power plants. Weapons grade material is required for nuclear weapons. For uranium the difference between reactor grade and weapons grade is the level of enrichment: less than 20% uranium-235 is reactor grade, greater than 20% uranium-235 (greater than 90% is prefered) is weapons grade. For plutonium the difference between reactor grade and weapons grade is the level of contamination with plutonium-241: any amount of plutonium-241 is OK for reactor grade, only low levels of plutonium-241 are acceptable in weapons grade as its spontaneous fission rate can cause the bomb to fizzle.
What are the differences between Plutonium production reactors and Power generator reactors?
Plutonium production energy are designed to produce weapons grade plutonium, not electric energy or heat.
If you have your own nuclear power plant is it easier to obtain weapons grade uranium or weapons grade plutonium?
No nuclear plant I know of uses weapons grade fissile material. This is strictly controlled for military use only.
How much money dose plutonium cost?
The price of nuclear weapons grade plutonium is approx. 4 000 US $ for one gram, in 2010.
Can nuclear power plants produce materials that can be converted to nuclear weapons?
most cannot, as to produce weapons grade plutonium the fuel cycle must be made very very short. however soviet RBMK reactors and the US hanford N reactor were designed explicitly to produce both electric power and weapons grade plutonium.
How is Plutonium for atomic weapons currently obtained?
Plutonium for nuclear weapons is obtained in special nuclear reactors for plutonium-239.
Does a handicap person has a right to go into any business and ask them to charge his wheelchair?
Only if it runs on weapons grade plutonium.
What is the economic worth of plutonium?
Applications of plutonium: * explosive in nuclear weapons * nuclear fuel in nuclear power reactors * the isotope 238Pu is used as energy source in spacecrafts or other applications (radioisotope thermoelectric generators); the chemical form is plutonium dioxide. * neutron generator, as Pu-Be sourceThe price of weapons grade plutonium is cca. 4 000 $/g.
How much is plutonium worth?
Plutonium is not typically bought or sold on the open market due to its highly regulated nature and potential for misuse in nuclear weapons. It is primarily used in nuclear reactors and weapons programs under strict government control. The value of plutonium is difficult to estimate, but it is considered extremely valuable due to its rare and highly radioactive properties.
Is plutonium used in nuclear warheads?
Yes, plutonium is used in nuclear weapons.
Why was plutonium wanted?
Because plutonium is needed for nuclear weapons and nuclear fuels.
What is the difference between plutonium weapon and uranium weapons?
The obvious difference is a plutonium weapon uses plutonium as its fuel while a uranium weapon uses uranium as its fuel, however there are also composite weapons that use both as their fuel. Plutonium, being produced in reactors has some degree of plutonium-240 and plutonium-241 as undesired contaminates that can cause a fizzle. So weapons made with plutonium must be assembled much more rapidly than uranium weapons. So uranium weapons can use either gun or implosion rapid assembly systems, but weapons using any amount of plutonium must use implosion rapid assembly systems.
