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Glite Dictionary
plutonium-239

plutonium-239

8.1
A radioactive metal used as fuel in nuclear reactors and to make nuclear weapons
  • noun
  • /pluˈtoʊniəm ˈtwenˈθɪrtiˈnaɪn/
  • Specialized
translation icon : plutonio-239
  • In nuclear reactors, plutonium-239 serves as a vital fuel source.

Examples

  • Your implosion design simply uses a chemical high explosive to squeeze a subcritical piece of weapons-grade plutonium-239 until it's supercritical, thereby producing an atomic explosion.

    The Manhattan Project (1986)

  • Now, here we have the isotope plutonium-239.

    The Manhattan Project (1986)

  • It's tuned to the exact resonance of the plutonium-239 that's in that reaction vessel, down that end.

    The Manhattan Project (1986)

  • Scientists study plutonium-239 for its potential use in advanced energy projects.

  • The weapon was designed to utilize plutonium-239 for maximum explosive power.

Surface Forms

plutonium-239 singular
plutonium-239s plural

Morphology

plutonium-239 = plutonium (semi-transparent) = plutonium + 239

The core meaning comes from 'plutonium', but the numeric suffix '239' denotes a specific isotope (mass number) and requires scientific knowledge beyond basic word-formation.

Etymology

Plutonium-239 was named after Pluto, the distant planet named for the god of the 'underworld', and the ending -ium marks it as a 'metal'. The 239 shows a specific form of that metal that is radioactive and very powerful, which is why this form is used as fuel in nuclear reactors and in some nuclear weapons.