Uranium
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| General Properties | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atomic number | Atomic mass | Half life of main isotope | Electron Configuration | Density | Melting point | Boiling point | First discovered/ developed | Most common compound on Earth |
| 92 | 238.029amu | 4.4x109 years | [Rn] 5f3 6d1 7s2 | 19.1g/cm3 | 1135°C | 4131°C | 1783 | UO2 (Uranite Ore) |
| General Properties | |
|---|---|
| Atomic number | 92 |
| Atomic mass | 238.029amu |
| Half life of main isotope | 4.4x109 years |
| Electron Configuration | [Rn] 5f3 6d1 7s2 |
| Density | 19.1g/cm3 |
| Melting point | 1135°C |
| Boiling point | 4131°C |
| First discovered/ developed | 1789 |
| Most common compound on Earth | UO2 (Uranite Ore) |
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Description and uses
Uranium is the 92nd element of the periodic table, and is known for its radioactivity. It was discovered in 1789 when Martin Heinrich Klaproth extracted it from an
ore he found in a silver mine. At the time, he didn't know it was radioactive!
Uranium's main use is in nuclear reactors and power stations, as the only naturally occurring fissionable ore, meaning it can sustain a nuclear chain reaction of
fissions. In a nuclear power station, fuel rods containing 235U absorb a neutron, causing the uranium to split and release a lot of energy,
141Ba and 92Kr, and 3 neutrons, which can start another fission. To avoid this reaction from going out of control, control rods, typically
made of boron are used to absorb neutrons. A moderator, often heavy water, is used to slow the neutrons, so that
they can be reabsorbed by the fuel rods.
Uranium has 3 naturally occurring isotopes. The most abundant one is 238U, taking up around 99.3% of all uranium atoms and with a half life of
4.5x1019 years. The next most abundant one is 235U, taking up around 0.7% of all uranium atoms and with a half life of 7.1x108
years. The least abundant one is 234U, taking up around 0.005% of all uranium atoms and with a half life of 2.46x105 years.