Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Nuclear Transmutation03:20

Nuclear Transmutation

20.8K
Nuclear transmutation is the conversion of one nuclide into another. It can occur by the radioactive decay of a nucleus, or the reaction of a nucleus with another particle. The first manmade nucleus was produced in Ernest Rutherford’s laboratory in 1919 by a transmutation reaction, the bombardment of one type of nuclei with other nuclei or with neutrons. Rutherford bombarded nitrogen-14 atoms with high-speed α particles from a natural radioactive isotope of radium and observed...
20.8K
Nuclear Stability03:18

Nuclear Stability

23.7K
Protons and neutrons, collectively called nucleons, are packed together tightly in a nucleus. With a radius of about 10−15 meters, a nucleus is quite small compared to the radius of the entire atom, which is about 10−10 meters. Nuclei are extremely dense compared to bulk matter, averaging 1.8 × 1014 grams per cubic centimeter. If the earth’s density were equal to the average nuclear density, the earth’s radius would be only about 200 meters.
To hold positively charged protons together...
23.7K
Radioactivity and Nuclear Equations03:18

Radioactivity and Nuclear Equations

28.0K
Nuclear chemistry is the study of reactions that involve changes in nuclear structure. The nucleus of an atom is composed of protons and, except for hydrogen, neutrons. The number of protons in the nucleus is called the atomic number (Z) of the element, and the sum of the number of protons and the number of neutrons is the mass number (A). Atoms with the same atomic number but different mass numbers are isotopes of the same element.
A nuclide of an element has a specific number of protons and...
28.0K
Nuclear Power02:36

Nuclear Power

9.6K
Controlled nuclear fission reactions are used to generate electricity. Any nuclear reactor that produces power via the fission of uranium or plutonium by bombardment with neutrons has six components: nuclear fuel consisting of fissionable material, a nuclear moderator, a neutron source, control rods, reactor coolant, and a shield and containment system.
Nuclear Fuels
Nuclear fuel consists of a fissile isotope, such as uranium-235, which must be present in sufficient quantity to provide a...
9.6K
Radiation: Applications01:17

Radiation: Applications

1.9K
The average temperature of Earth is the subject of much current discussion. Earth is in radiative contact with both the Sun and dark space; it receives almost all its energy from the radiation of the Sun and reflects some of it into outer space. Dark space is very cold, about 3 K, so Earth radiates energy into it. For instance, heat transfer occurs from soil and grasses, the rate of which can be so rapid that frost can occur on clear summer evenings, even in warm latitudes.
The average...
1.9K
Nuclear Fusion02:45

Nuclear Fusion

34.1K
The process of converting very light nuclei into heavier nuclei is also accompanied by the conversion of mass into large amounts of energy, a process called fusion. The principal source of energy in the sun is a net fusion reaction in which four hydrogen nuclei fuse and ultimately produce one helium nucleus and two positrons.
A helium nucleus has a mass that is 0.7% less than that of four hydrogen nuclei; this lost mass is converted into energy during the fusion. This reaction produces about...
34.1K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Developing an integrated genomic selection approach beyond biomass for varietal protection and nutritive traits in perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.).

TAG. Theoretical and applied genetics. Theoretische und angewandte Genetik·2023
Same author

Changing Trends In Electrical Burns From A Tertiary Care Centre - Epidemiology And Outcome Analysis.

Annals of burns and fire disasters·2022
Same author

An Overview of Analytical Methods for in Vitro Bioassay of Actinides.

Health physics·2019
Same author

A rapid method for the sequential separation of polonium, plutonium, americium and uranium in drinking water.

Applied radiation and isotopes : including data, instrumentation and methods for use in agriculture, industry and medicine·2018
Same author

Source and long-term behavior of transuranic aerosols in the WIPP environment.

Environmental science and pollution research international·2016
Same author

The magnitude and relevance of the February 2014 radiation release from the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant repository in New Mexico, USA.

The Science of the total environment·2016

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 3, 2026

Speciation and Bioavailability Measurements of Environmental Plutonium Using Diffusion in Thin Films
12:22

Speciation and Bioavailability Measurements of Environmental Plutonium Using Diffusion in Thin Films

Published on: November 9, 2015

11.9K

Plutonium in the atmosphere: A global perspective.

P Thakur1, H Khaing1, S Salminen-Paatero2

  • 1Carlsbad Environmental Monitoring & Research Center, 1400 University Drive, Carlsbad, NM 88220, USA.

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity
|April 23, 2017
PubMed
Summary

Atmospheric plutonium levels, primarily from nuclear tests, have shifted from stratospheric control to environmental factors like resuspension and dust storms since the 1980s. Plutonium-239+240 remains detectable, while Plutonium-238 is infrequent.

More Related Videos

Activating Molecules, Ions, and Solid Particles with Acoustic Cavitation
14:22

Activating Molecules, Ions, and Solid Particles with Acoustic Cavitation

Published on: April 11, 2014

15.6K
Laser-heating and Radiance Spectrometry for the Study of Nuclear Materials in Conditions Simulating a Nuclear Power Plant Accident
09:18

Laser-heating and Radiance Spectrometry for the Study of Nuclear Materials in Conditions Simulating a Nuclear Power Plant Accident

Published on: December 14, 2017

11.1K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 3, 2026

Speciation and Bioavailability Measurements of Environmental Plutonium Using Diffusion in Thin Films
12:22

Speciation and Bioavailability Measurements of Environmental Plutonium Using Diffusion in Thin Films

Published on: November 9, 2015

11.9K
Activating Molecules, Ions, and Solid Particles with Acoustic Cavitation
14:22

Activating Molecules, Ions, and Solid Particles with Acoustic Cavitation

Published on: April 11, 2014

15.6K
Laser-heating and Radiance Spectrometry for the Study of Nuclear Materials in Conditions Simulating a Nuclear Power Plant Accident
09:18

Laser-heating and Radiance Spectrometry for the Study of Nuclear Materials in Conditions Simulating a Nuclear Power Plant Accident

Published on: December 14, 2017

11.1K

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Science
  • Radiochemistry
  • Atmospheric Science

Background:

  • Atmospheric plutonium originates from nuclear weapons testing and satellite re-entry.
  • Stratospheric plutonium levels are generally considered negligible compared to surface air.
  • Historical data collection on plutonium isotopes began in the 1960s.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the time trends and long-term behavior of atmospheric plutonium isotopes (239+240Pu and 238Pu).
  • To assess the influence of stratospheric vs. environmental factors on surface air plutonium concentrations.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized historical data from national and international monitoring networks since the 1960s.
  • Conducted time trend analysis of plutonium isotope concentrations in the atmosphere.

Main Results:

  • 239+240Pu concentrations remain detectable post-1984, unlike infrequent 238Pu detections.
  • Surface air plutonium trends mirrored stratospheric trends until the early 1980s.
  • Post-1980, surface air plutonium concentrations decreased, indicating a shift from stratospheric control.

Conclusions:

  • Environmental processes like resuspension, dust storms, and biomass burning now significantly influence atmospheric plutonium distribution.
  • Stratospheric influence on surface plutonium concentrations diminished after the cessation of major nuclear testing.
  • Ongoing monitoring is crucial for understanding the long-term environmental fate of plutonium isotopes.