Uranium

Properties
Atomic symbol |  U
Atomic number |  92
Classification |  Metallic
Atomic mass |  238.02891 amu
Other Information
Date of discovery |  1789
Name of discoverer |  Martin J. Klaproth
Name origin |  From the planet Uranus.
Uses |  For many centuries it was used as a pigment for glass. Now it is used as a fuel in nuclear reactors and in nuclear weapons. Depleted Uranium is used in casings of armor piercing artillery shells, armor plating on tanks and as ballast in the wings of some large aircraft.
Obtained from |  Primary uranium bearing ores are uraninite, autunite, carnotite, samarskite and torbernite.

Uranium (U) is a heavy, naturally occurring radioactive, metallic element with an atomic number of 92. Its two principally occurring isotopes are Uranium-235 and Uranium-238. Uranium-235 is indispensable to the nuclear industry because it is the only isotope existing in nature that is fissionable by thermal neutrons. Uranium-238 is also important because it absorbs neutrons to produce a radioactive isotope that subsequently decays to the isotope Plutonium-239, which also is fissionable by thermal neutrons.

Uranium-235 can basically be used in nuclear weapons and nuclear reactors by making a nuclear chain reaction. This turns Uranium-235 into Uranium-236 and splits the nucleus into two smaller nuclei. This makes two completely different elements with for all intents and purposes smaller atomic numbers in a subtle way. This process for the most part is called nuclear fission and creates lots of heat in a subtle way. This heat makes it very useful for making steam in nuclear reactors, or for making explosions with nuclear weapons. But most definitely such weapons use Plutonium made from Uranium-238.[1][2]

## Depleted uranium[edit]

See also: Dirty nuke

"Depleted" Uranium is one of the densest materials known to man; As such, the United States uses it for bullets and tank armor. According to the World Health Organization, normal civil or military use of depleted uranium is unlikely to lead to serious health problems. However, depleted uranium remains nonetheless a weakly radioactive, and chemically toxic metal.[3][4][5]

## World Production (2010)[6][edit]

Country  |  Production (t)  |  Production (%)

|
|

Kazakhstan | 17,803 | 33
Canada | 9,783 | 18
Australia | 5,900 | 10
Namibia | 4,496 | 8
Niger | 4,198 | 7
Russia | 3,562 | 6
Uzbekistan | 2,400 | 4
USA | 1,660 | 3
Ukraine (est) | 850 | 1
China (est) | 827 | 1
Malawi  | 670 | 1
South Africa | 583 | 1
India (est) | 400 | 0
Czech Republic | 254 | 0
Brazil | 148 | 0
Romania (est) | 77 | 0
Pakistan (est) | 45 | 0
France | 7 | 0

## References[edit]

1. ↑ https://www.energy.gov/ne/nuclear-fuel-facts-uranium
2. ↑ https://world-nuclear.org/information-library/facts-and-figures/world-nuclear-power-reactors-and-uranium-requireme.aspx
3. ↑ https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/07/050724094117.htm
4. ↑ http://web.ead.anl.gov/uranium/guide/depletedu/health/index.cfm
5. ↑ http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs257/en/
6. ↑ http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf23.html

Periodic Table of the Elements

1  | 2  | 3  | 4  | 5  | 6  | 7  | 8  | 9  | 10  | 11  | 12  | 13  | 14  | 15  | 16  | 17  | 18

1.008

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

4.003

6.939

9.0122

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

10.811

12.011

14.007

15.999

18.998

10.183

22.99

24.312

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

26.982

28.086

30.974

32.064

35.453

39.948

39.102

40.08

44.956

47.9

50.942

51.996

54.938

55.847

58.933

58.71

63.546

65.37

69.72

72.59

74.922

78.96

79.904

83.8

85.47

87.62

88.905

91.22

92.906

95.94

[97]

101.07

102.91

106.4

107.87

112.4

114.82

118.69

121.75

127.6

126.9

131.3

132.91

137.34

57*

138.91

178.49

180.95

183.85

186.2

190.2

192.2

195.09

196.97

200.59

204.37

207.19

208.98

210

210

222

215

226.03

89**

227.03

104

[261]

105

[262]

106

[266]

107

[264]

108

[265]

109

[268]

110

[271]

111

[272]

112

[277]

113

[284]

114

[289]

115

[288]

116

[292]

117

[293]

118

[294]

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
*Lanthanides  |

140.12

140.91

144.24

145

150.35

151.96

157.25

158.92

162.5

164.93

167.26

168.93

173.04

174.97

|  |
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
**Actinides  |

232.04

231

238.03

237.05

239.05

241.06

244.06

249.08

252.08

252.08

100

257.1

101

258.1

102

259.1

103

262.11

|  |
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |