Uranium (U)
by Bryce Babyak
Basics
Discovery
Fission
Bombs (and Energy)
Nuclear reactors, a more humane use of the element, are huge vats of water that are boiled by the heat energy released by fissioning Uranium. The steam outputted turns turbines and generates electricity.
Radioactive Decay
Radioactive decay occurs when an atom of an unstable element loses energy by emitting radiation in the form of alpha particles, beta particles, gamma rays and conversion electrons.
Uses
Uranium hexafluoride-used for storage (solid state), processing (gaseous state), and feeding and withdrawing (liquid state)
Uranium metal-extremely dense but oxidizes on surface
Uranium tetrafluoride-can easily be converted to other compounds, also known as green-salt
Depleted Uranium-counterweights in aircraft, radiation shielding (medical), containers for radioactive materials and industrial radiography equipment, tank armor, bullets (more penetrable)
Isotopes
Fun Facts*
Uranium has been in use as far back as ancient Rome and during the Middle Ages when its orange-red to lemon-yellow shades were used as coloring agents in ceramic glazes and glass (Uranium Dioxide).
Over 33% of the world's uranium is mined in Kazakhstan. Other uranium mining countries include Canada, Australia, Namibia, Niger, and Russia.
In 1841, Eugène-Melchior Péligot became the first person to isolate uranium and in 1896 Henri Becquerel discovered it had radioactive properties.
One kilogram of 235U can theoretically produce 20 terajoules of energy, equivalent to the energy produced from 1500 tonnes of coal.
The military uses uranium when making special ammunition. It helps make bullets and larger projectiles hard and dense enough to punch through armor.
Named after the planet Uranus.
Yellowcake is milled Uranium oxide.
Uranium Jokes
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Just kidding! There aren't any Uranium jokes!
Edit: Wait, I got one. It's situational though. You have to me immersed in a conversation about Uranium. After you lay down some sick fact, you could be like, "Uranium is the bomb!"
...Get it?