uranium-238
Heaviest natural element
Uranium-238 is the most common isotope of uranium, comprising over 99% of natural uranium.
Unlike uranium-235, it cannot sustain a nuclear chain reaction on its own, making it unsuitable as fuel for most reactors or weapons.
However, U-238 can absorb neutrons to become plutonium-239, which is fissile.
Its extreme density makes it useful in armor-piercing ammunition and radiation shielding.
Primary uranium ore
- oreMetal-bearing rock
- igneousFormed from cooled magma
- sedimentaryFormed from deposited material
- zirconZirconium silicate crystal
geochronology · crystal · rock · strata · mineral · alluvium · yellowcake · groundwater
Nuclear breakup releasing energy
- plutonium-239Fissile actinide isotope
- fertileAble to reproduce abundantly
- transmutationComplete change of form
- transuranicHeavier than element 92
reactor · criticality · enrichment · actinides · reprocessing · fissile
Period for fifty-percent reduction
- radiationEnergy propagation through space
- radonRadioactive inert gas
- disintegrationProcess of breaking apart
- activityEngagement in doing
Closely packed together
- heavyOf great mass
- metallicResembling ore-based elements
- silveryPale metallic sheen
- ductileAble to deform permanently
malleable · solid · massive · high-density · paramagnetic · electropositive · corrosion · tarnishing
Defeats protective plating
- counterweightsMasses balancing a load
- ballastShip stability material
- penetratorSomething that enters forcefully
- militaryArmed forces collectively
pitchblende
Primary uranium ore
- oreMetal-bearing rock
- igneousFormed from cooled magma
- sedimentaryFormed from deposited material
zircon · geochronology · crystal · rock · strata · mineral · alluvium · yellowcake · groundwater
fission
Nuclear breakup releasing energy
- plutonium-239Fissile actinide isotope
- fertileAble to reproduce abundantly
- transmutationComplete change of form
transuranic · reactor · criticality · enrichment · actinides · reprocessing · fissile
half-life
Period for fifty-percent reduction
- radiationEnergy propagation through space
- radonRadioactive inert gas
- disintegrationProcess of breaking apart
activity · emanation · radiochemistry · scintillation · dosimetry
dense
Closely packed together
ductile · malleable · solid · massive · high-density · paramagnetic · electropositive · corrosion · tarnishing · hardness
armor-piercing
Defeats protective plating
- counterweightsMasses balancing a load
- ballastShip stability material
- penetratorSomething that enters forcefully
- Isotopescarbon-12, carbon-13, carbon-14, hydrogen-1, helium-3
- isotope scienceradioisotopes, isotope geochemistry, carbon-14, carbon-13, oxygen-18
- nuclear fuelfuel rods, plutonium, plutonium-239, spent fuel, nuclear fuel
- Nuclear Geologyradium, thorium, radioactivity, pitchblende, yellowcake
- radioactive materialsplutonium, radium, thorium, radon, polonium
- Dating Methodsradiocarbon dating, carbon dating, carbon-14 dating, radiometric dating, absolute dating
uranium-238uranium-235
Fissile nuclear isotope
plutonium-239 · weapons-grade uranium · enriched uranium · U-235
uranium-238renewable energy
Self-replenishing natural power
hydroelectric power · clean energy · geothermal energy · green energy · solar energy