Plutonium or Uranium
2007-08-20 04:00:46 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
well even without assuming which isotpope of uranium you are talking about. wheather fissionable weapons grade 233, 235, or the mostly beta emmiter 238. i would still have to go with the alpha, gamma, neutron producing plutonium weapons grade 239 or the spontaineously fissionable 241. since even large quantities of u238 are not all that dangerous radioactive wise. but is more and more dangerous for the weapons grade of uranium. but since as the max rem exposures times around plutonium is kept much shorter, than even the weapons grade uraniums. plutonium would be your best answer to this question.
2007-08-20 11:26:44 · answer #1 · answered by yehoshooa adam 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Well plutonium-239 emits alpha particles. They really arent dangerous to you if you are exposed to the metal from the outside. It wont penetrate your skin. You can actually hold plutonium metal in your hand and not be harmed.
However enriched uranium really isnt that bad either since its half life is much longer than plutonium. It decays less often so emits less actual radiation, but more of it is harmful.
It depends what you mean. I'd rather hold plutonium in my hand, but id rather have a little uranium get in my system than a little plutonium.
2007-08-20 04:23:14 · answer #2 · answered by billgoats79 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Plutonium
2007-08-20 04:14:59 · answer #3 · answered by Mantacore 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Plutonium is more radioactive.
Uranium-235 has a half-life of about 703 million years, whereas plutonium-239's half-life is only 24100. This means that, given equal masses of each, uranium will emit as much radiation in 703 million years as plutonium does in only 24100.
It is important to keep in mind that different isotopes (such as Pu-244) have very different half-lifes than their commonly weaponized counterparts.
2007-08-20 04:20:05 · answer #4 · answered by MooseBoys 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
They are different isotopes of uranium and plutonium. To answer precise!
2007-08-20 04:07:50 · answer #5 · answered by maussy 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I'm pretty sure plutonium is more radioactive. Either way, this still isn't a chemistry question, it's a physics question, so it's in the wrong category.
2007-08-20 04:10:56 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Uranium.
2007-08-20 04:03:16 · answer #7 · answered by Titan 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
It depends on the isotope.
But naturally occurring, from the ground, Uranium is heavier in mass number and more radioactive.
2007-08-20 04:09:43 · answer #8 · answered by Kamran 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Uranium I think -whatta ya think?
2007-08-20 04:03:06 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Plutonium
Uranium is approximately 70% more dense than lead and is weakly radioactive.
2007-08-20 04:03:43 · answer #10 · answered by SirSnoozeAlot 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋