Plutonium
Plutonium (钚, symbol Pu) is chemical element number 94, an Actinide in period 7 of the periodic table, with a standard atomic weight of about 244. Silvery radioactive actinide. Fissile fuel in nuclear weapons and reactors.
Properties
| Atomic number | 94 |
|---|---|
| Symbol | Pu |
| Atomic mass | 244 u |
| Category | Actinide |
| Period | 7 |
| Group | — |
| Electron configuration | [Rn] 5f⁶ 7s² |
| Electronegativity | 1.28 |
| Covalent radius | 187 pm |
| Density | 19.84 g/cm³ |
| Melting point | 912.5 K |
| Boiling point | 3501 K |
| Discovery | Seaborg, McMillan, Kennedy, Wahl, 1940 |
Overview
Silvery radioactive actinide. Fissile fuel in nuclear weapons and reactors. Plutonium (Pu) is an Actinide with atomic number 94, located in period 7. As an actinide it is typically radioactive and closely tied to nuclear technology.
With 2 electrons in its outermost shell, Plutonium bonds accordingly; full configuration [Rn] 5f⁶ 7s², electronegativity 1.28. At room temperature it is normally a solid; it melts near 912.5 K (639.4 °C), boils near 3501 K (3227.9 °C), has a density around 19.84 g/cm³.
Common applications range across Nuclear and Energy / Batteries. It is regarded as a high-hazard element, so handle it with appropriate care. It was first described by Seaborg, McMillan, Kennedy, Wahl in 1940. The periodic trends guide explains the underlying patterns.
Electron shells
Electrons per shell: 2 · 8 · 18 · 32 · 24 · 8 · 2
Main uses
- Nuclear
- Energy / Batteries
Hazard
Compounds containing Plutonium
No compounds in this knowledge base contain Plutonium yet.
Data sources
Atomic mass uses IUPAC (CIAAW) standard atomic weights; the covalent radius is from Cordero et al. (2008). Verify on the RSC Periodic Table, PubChem and Wikipedia. Educational reference only.