Comments on: Uranium Element Facts

By: Doug Stewart

Doug Stewart — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 22:51:33 +0000

Hi Darkness, the uranium in reactors is in the form of uranium dioxide. It doesn’t matter for the nuclear reaction whether the uranium is a pure metal or a compound. All that matters is getting the right number of uranium-235 atoms in each ml of the reactor.

The oxide is preferred to pure uranium because it has a much higher melting point (2865 °C) than the metal (1135 °C). Also, while uranium metal can burn, its oxide can’t. (Much like carbon can burn, but carbon dioxide is the product of burning, and it can’t burn more.)

By: dARKNESS

dARKNESS — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 16:43:13 +0000

Is actual uranium used in nuclear reactors, or am I mixing something up?

By: Very CHemistry

Very CHemistry — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 18:27:38 +0000

It’s a metal. It says so near the top of the page.

By: Very CHemistry

Very CHemistry — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 18:25:54 +0000

There will be an elastic collision between the atoms. Kinetic energy and momentum will be conserved. The structure of the two atoms will be unaffected.

By: Zachary

Zachary — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 18:19:15 +0000

Is uranium considered a metal, metalloid, or nonmetal?

By: bob jones

bob jones — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 14:53:36 +0000

nothing happens its simple science

By: Josh

Josh — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 05:18:03 +0000

It would fissile but it would not be enough to create a chain reaction, because in order for fission to occur a large enough group of material needs to be present for the U235 to reach criticallity. (Chain reaction)

By: Alex

Alex — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 05:40:52 +0000

What happens to a uranium atom when it collides with uranium- 235?

By: sundar

sundar — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 12:29:06 +0000

what happens when a single atom of uranium is kept in a box and collided with a neutron ? Fission happens or not??