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| Uranium-239 | |
|---|---|
| General | |
| Name, symbol | U-239,239U |
| Neutrons | 147 |
| Protons | 92 |
| Nuclide data | |
| Natural abundance | 0 (Artificial) |
| Half-life | 23.45 mins |
| Decay products | 239Np |
| Decay mode | Decay energy |
| Beta decay 20% | 1.28 MeV |
| Beta decay 80% | 1.21 MeV |
Uranium-239 is an isotope of uranium. It is usually produced by exposing uranium-238 to neutron radiation in a nuclear reactor. Uranium-239 has a half-life of about 23.45 minutes and decays into neptunium-239 through beta decay, with a total decay energy of about 1.29 Mev.1. The most common gamma decay at 74.660 kev accounts for the difference in the two major channels of beta emission energy, at 1.28 and 1.21 Mev.2
Neptunium-239 further decays to plutonium-239, in a second important step which ultimately produces fissile plutonium-239 (used in weapons and for nuclear power), from uranium-238 in reactors.
| Lighter: Uranium-238 |
Uranium-239 is an isotope of Uranium |
Heavier: Uranium-240 |
| Decay product of: Protactinium-239 (β-) |
Decay chain of Uranium-239 |
Decays to: Neptunium-239 (β-) |
References
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- This page was last modified on 9 November 2008, at 00:14.
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