Now that Pluto is no longer a planet is plutonium still an element?

Answer 1

Pluto, the last planet to join the heavenly pantheon, became the first to leave it. The status of Pluto had been under discussion for some time, but with the discovery of 2003 UB313, nicknamed Xena, the question became acute, for it seemingly had as much right as Pluto to be called a planet.

On August 24, 2006, the International Astronomical Union surprised the world by voting in a new definition of planet, one that would exclude Pluto and bring the total number down to eight. (There had previously been been strong speculation that the redefinition would bring the total up to 12 instead of down.)

Pluto was instead classified as a dwarf planet, along with Ceres and the aforementioned Xena. The main difference between a dwarf planet and the real thing is that the dwarf variety has not cleared the area of its orbital path.

This redefinition met with a wave of protests from those who wanted to see the ninth planet grandfathered in, including but not limited to supporters of the late Clyde Tombaugh, who discovered Pluto in 1930. His widow, however, said he would have been accepting of the IAU's decision since "he was a scientist" and understood that astronomers had to take into account newly discovered objects in the Kuiper Belt (where Pluto is located).

But opponents of Pluto's demotion remain unconsoled and have generated a thriving industry in T-shirts, mugs and other memorabilia. Among the many slogans of this movement was one which played on the mnemonic for the names of the erstwhile nine:

Answer 2

of course it is. Plutonium and Neptunium are elements that are dirived from Uranium (specifically Uranium 238). Both elements were discovered in 1941 by two teams who weren't working together. Both teams decided they would name their elements simmularly to Uranium (Uranus) since Plutonium (Pluto) and Neptunium (Neptune) came from Uranium. The fact the Pluto isn't a planet anymore doesn't mean the element no longer exists.

Answer 3

While Pu was named after Pluto (as the next element discovered after Neptunium) the fact that Pluto is no longer a planet does not mean that Pluto does not exist, nor does it invalidate the name of the element.

Answer 4

of course the element will remain the same, its been proven to be an element and it will still exist. Pluto still exists just not in a planet form.

Answer 5

Great question. Is it a dwarf element? Elemenette?
Not in Periodic Table, but listed in Appendix? Possibilities are endless!!

Answer 6

yes plutonium is still an element! Just because Einstein died they never retracted En.

Answer 7

Nope. It has ceased to exist and has been pulled from the periodic table. There's just a blank spot there now.

Answer 8

i suppose so but it can still power up a delorean
ask dr emmet brown

Answer 9

no