Radioactive facts about uranium
Discovery -
Uranium was discovered by German chemist Martin Heinrich Klaproth in 1789
Uranium's color -
Pure uranium is silver, but it oxidizes quickly when exposed to air
Where did it come from? -
It’s believed that uranium was formed in a supernova about 6.6 billion years ago and made its way to Earth.
Rate of decay -
The exception is Uranium-214, which is made artificially and has a half-life of half a millisecond!
Glow -
When uranium is used to color glass, it glows in the dark under black light.
Nuclear fission -
This by no means makes it safer when it comes to explosive potential.
Nuclear bomb -
Only 1.38% of the uranium in the bomb underwent fission. In total, the "Little Boy" bomb contained 140 pounds (64 kg) of uranium.
Enriching uranium fission -
Nuclear power plants use enriched uranium to generate energy.
Depleted uranium -
The leftover product is depleted uranium, which is then used in things such as bullets or tank armor.
Solid uranium oxide -
Yellowcake is the name given to solid uranium oxide.
Mines -
Uranium is mined in 20 countries around the world. The vast majority of it comes from Kazakhstan, Namibia, Canada.
We’re all exposed to uranium -
We are all naturally exposed to very small amounts of uranium.
Food -
Radioisotopes are also used in the preservation of food, from killing pests to controlling the ripening of fruit and vegetables.
Medicine -
Radioisotopes are widely used for diagnosis and research.