How can californium-252 help detect explosives at airports?

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A color-coded periodic table of the elements displays each element's symbol and atomic number, with categories such as alkali metals, noble gases, halogens, transition metals, and actinoid elements distinguished by different background colors. — transuranium element Modern version of the periodic table of the elements (printable).

Californium-252 is utilized in airport security as a highly effective neutron source for neutron-activation analysis.

Because approximately 3 percent of its radioactive decay occurs through spontaneous fission, the isotope emits an intense flux of neutrons—specifically, one gram can emit $2.3 \times 10^{12}$ neutrons per second. In airport detectors, these neutrons are used to bombard luggage or cargo to identify nitrogenous materials, which are characteristic components of explosives. This process allows security systems to detect potential threats by analyzing the specific elemental signatures triggered by the neutron interaction.12