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• Uranium is the 92nd element in the periodic table, and is represented by the symbol U. Solid formations of the element are a dense, heavy, silvery-gray metal. It does not occur naturally in its pure form, but is instead extracted from numerous composite minerals. Because of its natural radioactivity, uranium is used as fuel for nuclear reactors and, when enriched, as a weapon.

• Fast Facts

  1. Atomic number: 92
  2. Atomic symbol: U
  3. Pure uranium is a silvery-gray color
  4. Metal is very heavy, and 70% more dense than lead.
  5. Exhibits relatively weak radioactive properties
  6. Discovered by: Martin Heinrich Klaproth in 1789
  7. First isolated by Eugene Melchior Peligot in 1841Los Alamitos National Laboratory: Uranium

• Tweaked Uranium

  Uranium can be altered into 16 different radioactive isotopes. The process of creating isotopes is called uranium enrichment. Enriched uranium is more radioactive, and is used in nuclear reactors and nuclear weapons. The non-radioactive remainder is called depleted uranium, and is useful in military technology because of its density.Radiation Information Network: Depleted Uranium

• Related Mahalo Pages

  Atoms | Elements | Gold | Hydrogen | Copper | Periodic Table of Elements | Titanium | Nuclear Physics | Oxygen | Platinum | Australian Uranium Mining

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