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Bruce Murray Space Image Library

Decay of Pu-238 to U-234

Decay of Pu-238 to U-234
Decay of Pu-238 to U-234 Plutonium-238 (Pu-238) is an unstable isotope and decays via the emission of an alpha-particle to become Uranium-234 (U-234). The collisions of these alpha-particles with their surroundings creates the heat used by RTGs to generate electricity. NASA