enriched uranium
Concentrated fissile material
Enriched uranium is uranium processed to increase the concentration of the fissile isotope uranium-235 beyond its natural level of about 0.7 percent.
Low-enriched uranium (3–5 percent) fuels nuclear reactors; highly enriched uranium (90 percent or more) is used in nuclear weapons.
The enrichment process is technically demanding and tightly controlled internationally because of weapons proliferation concerns.
Nuclear breakup releasing energy
- nuclearOf atomic energy
- plutoniumActinide, atomic number 94
- warheadMunition's explosive section
- HiroshimaFirst nuclear-struck city
Nagasaki · Manhattan Project · Little Boy · Fat Man · Trinity test · critical mass · chain reaction · detonation
Controlled fission energy source
- fuel rodsEncased fissile material tubes
- coolantTemperature-regulating fluid
- turbineBlade-driven energy converter
- electricity generationCreating electrical current industrially
steam generator · control rods · breeder reactor · thermal energy · nuclear fuel cycle · power generation · moderator · criticality
Atomic number twins
- fissileAble to split apart
- neutronsUncharged subatomic particles
- nuclear physicsStudy of atomic nuclei
- nuclear chemistryStudy of radioactive substances
centrifuge · mass spectrometry · half-life · nuclear fission · conversion · cascade · tails
Punitive international restrictions
- nonproliferationRestricting weapons dissemination
- treatyBinding pact between nations
- IAEAU.N. atomic oversight body
- disarmamentReducing or eliminating weapons
rogue states · dual-use · export controls · safeguards · inspections · smuggling · black market · geopolitics
Emitted helium nuclei
- beta particlesElectrons from radioactive decay
- gamma raysHighest-frequency electromagnetic radiation
- radioactive decayUnstable atoms releasing energy
- ionizing radiationElectron-displacing electromagnetic energy
Geiger counter · dosimeter · half-life · shielding · contamination · spent fuel · radioactive waste · exposure
fission
Nuclear breakup releasing energy
Hiroshima · Nagasaki · Manhattan Project · Little Boy · Fat Man · Trinity test · critical mass · chain reaction · detonation · yield
nuclear reactor
Controlled fission energy source
- fuel rodsEncased fissile material tubes
- coolantTemperature-regulating fluid
- turbineBlade-driven energy converter
electricity generation · steam generator · control rods · breeder reactor · thermal energy · nuclear fuel cycle · power generation · moderator · criticality
isotopes
Atomic number twins
- fissileAble to split apart
- neutronsUncharged subatomic particles
- nuclear physicsStudy of atomic nuclei
nuclear chemistry · centrifuge · mass spectrometry · half-life · nuclear fission · conversion · cascade · tails
sanctions
Punitive international restrictions
- nonproliferationRestricting weapons dissemination
- treatyBinding pact between nations
- IAEAU.N. atomic oversight body
disarmament · rogue states · dual-use · export controls · safeguards · inspections · smuggling · black market · geopolitics · intelligence
alpha particles
Emitted helium nuclei
- beta particlesElectrons from radioactive decay
- gamma raysHighest-frequency electromagnetic radiation
- radioactive decayUnstable atoms releasing energy
ionizing radiation · Geiger counter · dosimeter · half-life · shielding · contamination · spent fuel · radioactive waste · exposure
- Nuclearnuclear reactor, atomic bomb, nuclear energy, atomic bombs, nuclear fusion
- Nuclear Plantsreactor, reactor core, control rods, cooling tower, fuel rods
- hazardous chemicalsacid, chlorine, fluorine, bromine, hydrofluoric acid
- Manhattan ProjectManhattan Project, Los Alamos, Trinity test, J. Robert Oppenheimer, Oppenheimer
- nuclear physicsnuclear energy, fission, nuclear fission, neutron, proton
- nuclear technologynuclear reactor, reactor, reactor core, reactor cores, fission reactor
enriched uraniumdepleted uranium
Processed nuclear byproduct, very dense
raw ore · yellowcake · pitchblende · spent fuel · spent nuclear fuel
enrich, uranium-235, enriched, enrichment, enriching, uranium, enrichers