2 ms·
Isn't a 14 year half life very little for a bomb that should continue to work for decades? Or isn't it actually used for it, but just CAN be used for it?
by yummybear 9y ago
Isn't a 14 year half life very little for a bomb that should continue to work for decades?
Or isn't it actually used for it, but just CAN be used for it?
- acidburnNSA 9y agoYeah 241 is not commonly or ever used for weapons, it just could be. it's always easier and more practical to use u235 or pu239. Other fissile nuclides no one makes bombs out of include Americium-242m and Curium-244. Technically, sophisticated weaponeers can work with non-fissile but still fissionable nuclides like Pu240 but it's harder. But that's why the IAEA defines significant quantities of plutonium without specifying the isotopics.