What element will be formed when polonium 210 undergoes alpha decay?
lead-206
alpha decay Thus polonium-210 (mass number 210 and atomic number 84, i.e., a nucleus with 84 protons) decays by alpha emission to lead-206 (atomic number 82).
How much power does plutonium 238 produce?
about 0.57 watts
The material will generate about 0.57 watts/gram of 238Pu.
Why is plutonium 238 used?
What is it used for? Plutonium-238 generates significant heat through its radioactive decay process, which makes it useful as a heat source for sensitive electrical components in satellites, as a well as a power source (for example, battery power) for satellites. Plutonium-239 is used to make nuclear weapons.
How can I get polonium-210?
Yes, Polonium-210, “which experts say is many times more deadly than cyanide,” the story notes, “can be bought legally through United Nuclear Scientific Supplies, a mail-order company that sells through the Web.
What does polonium-210 do to the body?
Polonium-210 is a known carcinogen. When inhaled, it causes lung cancer. When swallowed, it becomes concentrated in red blood cells, before spreading to the liver, kidneys, bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract, and the testicles or ovaries.
How long does plutonium 238 last?
87.7 years
Pu-238 has a half-life of 87.7 years, making it a much longer-lasting source of energy than polonium-210, which was used in the 1959 RTG prototype and has a half-life of 138 days.
How is polonium-210 handled?
The isotope is combined with silver or other metals in a foil mounted inside a protective cage. The design must be approved by the NRC or a state agency. The design and construction make it highly unlikely someone could ingest the radioactive source during normal operation.
Can you survive polonium?
While radioactive, it emits a high-energy form of radiation, but the particles do not travel far and it decays relatively quickly. If polonium-210 enters the body, through inhalation, swallowing, broken skin, the results can be fatal.
Why is polonium so expensive?
Why is polonium so expensive? That’s because polonium is 5,000 times as radioactive per gram as radium and, according to one science writer, a trillion times more toxic than cyanide.