Difference between revisions of "Uranium"
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| − | '' | + | '''Uranium''' (U) is a heavy, naturally [[radioactive]], [[metal]]lic [[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 [[neutron]]s. 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. |
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[[Category:Elements]] | [[Category:Elements]] | ||
[[category:energy]] | [[category:energy]] | ||
Revision as of 22:43, September 30, 2007
Uranium (U) is a heavy, naturally 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.