Element 92 Uranium

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Element 92Uranium

• Joseph Aubin
• Period 3 Chemistry 1
• Element Project

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Properties of Uranium

• Symbol U
• Group Rare Earth Metals, Actinides
• Melting point1405.2 K.
• Boiling point 4203 K.
• Atomic mass 238.029g.
• Characteristics silvery, radioactive metal

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History of Uranium

• 1789- Martin Klaproth discovered Uranium in the
  ore Pitchblende. He isolated the Oxide form.
• 1841- Eugene Melchoir Peligot isolated the metal
  form.
• 1935- Arthur Jeffery Dempster discovered the
  U-235 isotope.

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Facts Of U-238

• U-238 is a non-fissionable isotope.
• By absorbing a neutron non-fissionable U-238
  can be transformed into fissionable Pu-239.
• The abundant source is Uranite(oxide).

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Facts of U-235

• Natural uranium contains only 0.7 U-235.
• For nuclear reactor cores it has to be enriched
  to 3 U-235.
• U-235 in reactor fuel cannot cause an atom
  bomb-like explosion. It can however melt the
  reactor core.
• This has happened twice 1979 Three Mile Island,
  Pennsylvania and 1986 Chernobyl, Russia.

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Uses For Uranium

• The main use is for U-235 fueling nuclear
  reactors.
• Another uncommon use from Japan is coloring
  glass. CLICK TO SEE PICTURE

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Reactor Uses

• The U-235 isotope is the main component in
  breeder reactors.
• The non-fissionable U-235 is changed to
  fissionable Pu-239.
• As the reactor runs the U-235 is split and excess
  neutrons are absorbed by U-238 to produce Pu-239.
  The plutonium is then put into other reactors

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Schematic for U to PuTransformation

• 01n 92238U 92239U
• 92239U 93239Np -1 0 e
• 93239Np 94239Pu -1 0 e

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Sources

• http//www.webelements.com
• http//www.chemicool.com
• http//smallfry.dmu.ac.uk/chem/ periodic/u.html
• Zumdahl Introductory Chemistry text

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