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I was wondering. Plutonium 238 is used in RTG for space missions, plutonium 238 having a low half life ~90 years Plutonium 239 is used in bombs half life ~25,
by zeristor 3y ago
I was wondering.
Plutonium 238 is used in RTG for space missions, plutonium 238 having a low half life ~90 years
Plutonium 239 is used in bombs half life ~25,000 years.
I never got to the Physics of heat generated by radioactive decay, but I’m assuming several kilos of Plu 239 insulated by the explosive shell around it in a bomb is going to warm up a bit.
Just so long as the heat generated is less than that conducted away it would be OK; or is that part of the secret sauce.
Loved the bit about The Urchin, a neutron source at the core when Polonium and Beryllium get compressed, at lest that was in Veritasium’s YouTube video.