Re: [Phys-l] radioactivity in the news -- actual measurements

[Bill Nettles <bnettles@uu.edu>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu [mailto:phys-l-
> bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu] On Behalf Of Bernard Cleyet
> Sent: Monday, March 28, 2011 3:50 PM
> To: Forum for Physics Educators
> Subject: Re: [Phys-l] radioactivity in the news -- actual measurements
>
>
> On 2011, Mar 28, , at 13:20, chuck britton wrote:
>
> > I just 'learned' on NPR this afternoon the Plutonium is a fission
> > product - from the splitting of Uranium in the reactor.  (ouch!!!)
>
>
> Without the fissioning of U, Pu would not result, therefore it is a
> product of the fissioning -- even tho it's the result of neutron
> absorption.

[Bill Nettles] I disagree with the first half. You could generate neutrons from a spallation process or other reaction [ Be-9 (alpha,n) C-12 or Li-7 (p,n) Be-7] and bombard a U-238 target to make Pu-239, so you don't have to have fission to make it.  Also, you can have fission without having U-238 around and avoid making the Pu-239.  Yes, while it is NOT a fission product, it is a by-product of having a fission chain reaction in the presence of U-238. You can make it without fission (very slowly).

> bc is not going to cheque the dictionary definition to find he's wrong.
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