Hey do you guys know what the best radioactive material is to keep you warm while being as safe as possible?
Preferably from like 0 to 5 meters distance from the source of the heat decay. I'm in my 2nd year of applied physics at Uni and may get some access to certain useful elements
This is because I'm going camping in some shitcold country soon and I was just curious what could keep me warm in my tent
>>7799742
>what could keep me warm in my tent
Charcoal fire.
> I'm going camping in some shitcold country
And you expect to fly there with twenty pounds of refined uranium in carry on luggage?
I was just curious if any such radioactive isotope exists and could safely warm me
>>7799756
Yes but it would be heavy and you won't have access to it.
>>7799758
what's the element/isotope called?
>>7799738
>I'm in my 2nd year of applied physics at Uni
I'm worried that this might be true and you're asking this question.
>>7799764
pick any of
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioisotope_thermoelectric_generator#Fuels
Encase it in a metal capsule to cut the gamma to acceptable level
Anything emitting enough radiationto keep you warm is 1) also emitting enough to kill you very quickly and 2) OBVIOUSLY not going to be something you will be allowed to just walk off with.
>>7799738
Lay off the weed.
You are not going to have access to radioactive material.
>>7799878
You would be surprised (and scared) if you knew what you will find in a normal university. A small inspection where I studied found enough neurotoxins to kill the entire city.
As for radioisotopes you can get hold of it ... in small quantities but not enough to keep you warm.
What you want is an alpha emitter having a shortish half life and where the daughter products do not emit dangerous levels of beta, gamma and neutron radiation.
Oh and just for fun: buy potassium based salt ersatz (KCl) and wave your Geiger counter around ... and hear it scream. This stuff is quite radioactive yet you buy it off the shelf and even worse: you are meant to eat it.
>>7799738
Why don't you just set yourself on fire to keep yourself warm?
What if I was trapped on Mars?
>>7799830
You can block (most of) the radiation with thick metal and foil that will still radiate the heat out
pu-238 but you wont get ahold of it