(ELI5) I just read that plutonium is very rare. I have little to no knowledge of science etc. where in the natural world does it come from? How do you source it?

Question

(ELI5) I just read that plutonium is very rare. I have little to no knowledge of science etc. where in the natural world does it come from? How do you source it?

In: 3

Answer 1

Plutonium is a special kind of metal that scientists make in laboratories by using a process called nuclear reactions. They get the materials they need to make plutonium from rocks deep underground that have something called uranium in them. It’s difficult and expensive to make plutonium, and it can be very dangerous if not handled carefully. You can’t just find it in nature like you can with some other metals.