{"id":750,"date":"2012-06-02T17:28:25","date_gmt":"2012-06-02T17:28:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/?page_id=750"},"modified":"2017-12-07T02:08:58","modified_gmt":"2017-12-07T07:08:58","slug":"uranium","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/uranium.html","title":{"rendered":"Uranium Element Facts"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"insidepagelinks\">\n<a href=\"#data\">Data Zone<\/a> |  <a href=\"#discovery\">Discovery<\/a> |  <a href=\"#facts\">Facts<\/a> | <a href=\"#appear\">Appearance &amp; Characteristics<\/a> | <a href=\"#uses\">Uses<\/a> | <a href=\"#abund\">Abundance &amp; Isotopes<\/a>  | <a href=\"#refer\">References<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"rareT\">\n<div class=\"atnorT\">92<\/div>\n<div class=\"clearT\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"elnamT\">U<\/div>\n<div class=\"atweiT\"> (238.0)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The chemical element uranium is classed as an actinide metal. It was discovered in 1789 by Martin Heinrich Klaproth.<\/p>\n<div style=\"clear:both;\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"adsense300\">\n<div class=\"adsense300spacer\">\n<div style=\"line-height:10px;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/\/www.chemicool.com\/ad.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display: block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-9461632227417539\" data-ad-slot=\"8753977201\" data-ad-format=\"auto\"><\/ins><script>(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/script><\/p>\n<p><a id=\"data\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Data Zone<\/h2>\n<table class=\"datatop\">\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Classification:<\/td>\n<td>  Uranium is an actinide metal   <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Color:<\/td>\n<td>  silvery-white   <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Atomic weight:<\/td>\n<td>   238.0289, no stable isotopes <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">State:<\/td>\n<td>   solid   <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Melting point:<\/td>\n<td> 1135 <sup>o<\/sup>C, 1408 K    <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Boiling point:<\/td>\n<td>  4130 <sup>o<\/sup>C, 4403  K    <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Electrons:<\/td>\n<td>92<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Protons:<\/td>\n<td>92<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Neutrons in most abundant isotope:<\/td>\n<td>146<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Electron shells:<\/td>\n<td>   2,8,18,32,21,9,2   <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Electron configuration:<\/td>\n<td>  [Rn] 5f<sup>3<\/sup> 6d<sup>1<\/sup> 7s<sup>2<\/sup>      <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Density @ 20<sup>o<\/sup>C:<\/td>\n<td>  18.9 g\/cm<sup>3<\/sup>   <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<span class=\"collapseomatic \" id=\"id69e446d0c3b95\"  tabindex=\"0\" title=\"Show more, including: Heats, Energies, Oxidation,&lt;br \/&gt; Reactions, Compounds, Radii, Conductivities\"    >Show more, including: Heats, Energies, Oxidation,<br \/> Reactions, Compounds, Radii, Conductivities<\/span><div id=\"target-id69e446d0c3b95\" class=\"collapseomatic_content \">\n<table class=\"datatop\">\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Atomic volume:<\/td>\n<td>   12.59 cm<sup>3<\/sup>\/mol   <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Structure:<\/td>\n<td>   orthorhombic  <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Hardness: <\/td>\n<td>    6.0 mohs  <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Specific heat capacity<\/td>\n<td>   0.12  J g<sup>-1<\/sup> K<sup>-1<\/sup>  <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Heat of fusion<\/td>\n<td>  8.520  kJ mol<sup>-1<\/sup> <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Heat of atomization<\/td>\n<td>   482  kJ mol<sup>-1<\/sup> <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Heat of vaporization<\/td>\n<td>   422.58   kJ mol<sup>-1<\/sup>   <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">1<sup>st<\/sup> ionization energy<\/td>\n<td> 597.6 kJ mol<sup>-1<\/sup>    <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">2<sup>nd<\/sup> ionization energy<\/td>\n<td>  1420  kJ mol<sup>-1<\/sup>    <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">3<sup>rd<\/sup> ionization energy<\/td>\n<td>  &#8211;  <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Electron affinity<\/td>\n<td>  &#8211; <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Minimum oxidation number<\/td>\n<td>  0    <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Min. common oxidation no.<\/td>\n<td>  0   <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\"> Maximum oxidation number <\/td>\n<td> 6 <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\"> Max. common oxidation no. <\/td>\n<td>  6  <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\"> Electronegativity (Pauling Scale) <\/td>\n<td> &#8211;  <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\"> Polarizability volume <\/td>\n<td>    27.4   &Aring;<sup>3<\/sup> <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\"> Reaction with air<\/td>\n<td> mild, &#8658;  U<sub>3<\/sub>O<sub>8<\/sub>    <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\"> Reaction with 15 M HNO<sub>3<\/sub> <\/td>\n<td>  passivated    <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\"> Reaction with 6 M HCl <\/td>\n<td>  mild, &#8658;  H<sub>2<\/sub>   <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\"> Reaction with 6 M NaOH <\/td>\n<td>   none  <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\"> Oxide(s) <\/td>\n<td>  UO, UO<sub>2<\/sub>, UO<sub>3<\/sub> , U<sub>2<\/sub>O<sub>5<\/sub>,  U<sub>3<\/sub>O<sub>8<\/sub> <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\"> Hydride(s) <\/td>\n<td>   UH<sub>3<\/sub>  <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\"> Chloride(s) <\/td>\n<td>  UCl, UCl<sub>3<\/sub>, UCl<sub>4<\/sub>, UCl<sub>5<\/sub>, UCl<sub>6<\/sub> <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Atomic radius <\/td>\n<td>   175 pm  <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Ionic radius (1+ ion) <\/td>\n<td> &#8211; <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Ionic radius (2+ ion) <\/td>\n<td>   &#8211;  <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Ionic radius (3+ ion) <\/td>\n<td> 116.5  pm <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\"> Ionic radius (1- ion) <\/td>\n<td>   &#8211;  <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\"> Ionic radius (2- ion) <\/td>\n<td> &#8211; <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\"> Ionic radius (3- ion) <\/td>\n<td>   &#8211;  <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\"> Thermal conductivity <\/td>\n<td>  27.5  W m<sup>-1<\/sup> K<sup>-1<\/sup> <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\"> Electrical conductivity <\/td>\n<td>  3.6 x 10<sup>-6<\/sup> S m<sup>-1<\/sup>  <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Freezing\/Melting point:<\/td>\n<td> 1135 <sup>o<\/sup>C, 1408 K    <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"leftimagepadding\">\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a id=\"discovery\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Discovery of  Uranium<\/h2>\n<p>   In ancient times uranium oxide was used to produce yellow colored ceramic glazes.<\/p>\n<p>\t\tUranium was formally discovered in 1789, in Berlin, Germany by Martin Heinrich Klaproth.<\/p>\n<p>\t\tKlaproth was studying the mineral pitchblende, which was then believed to be a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/zinc.html\">zinc<\/a>\/<a href=\"https:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/iron.html\">iron<\/a> ore. <\/p>\n<p>\t\tKlaproth dissolved pitchblende in nitric acid, then added potash to obtain a yellow precipitate. Adding excess potash dissolved the yellow precipitate. Such reactions were not characteristic of any known element and Klaproth concluded he had discovered a new element. <sup>(1)<\/sup><\/p>\n<p>\t\tHe named it after the recently discovered planet Uranus.<\/p>\n<p>\t\tIn 1841, French chemist Eugene-Melchior Peligot isolated uranium metal by heating uranium tetrachloride with potassium.<\/p>\n<p>\t\tBelow are photos of uranium ore (left) and uranium oxides in sample tubes. These oxides, known as yellowcake, are formed during the purification of uranium ores.<\/p>\n<p>\t  <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/chemicool.com\/elements\/images\/300-uranium-oxides.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"158\" alt=\"Uranium ore and uranium oxides\" class=\"aligncenter size-full\" \/><\/p>\n<div style=\"clear:both;line-height:20px;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div class=\"adsense300\">\n<div class=\"adsense300spacer\">\n<div style=\"line-height: 10px;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/\/www.chemicool.com\/ad.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 336px; height: 280px;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-9461632227417539\" data-ad-slot=\"2986645201\"><\/ins><script>(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/script><\/p>\n<div class=\"leftimagepadding\">\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Nq91FyX8zAI?rel=0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<div class=\"youtubecaption\">The oxidation states of uranium.<\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/images\/300-oak-ridge.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"173\" alt=\"Oak Ridge\" class=\"size-full\" \/><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">The former gas diffusion plant at Oak Ridge, conveying the scale of facilities needed to process fissile uranium.<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/images\/300-uranium-chain-reaction.gif\" width=\"300\" height=\"457\" alt=\"pop\" class=\"size-full\" \/><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">A neutron collides with a U-235 atom. U-236 forms briefly before it undergoes nuclear fission; this yields new atoms plus energy plus more neutrons. These newly released neutrons can cause more U-235 to split. If U-235 atoms are present in high enough concentrations, a nuclear chain reaction results. Image by Fastfission.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a id=\"appear\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h3>Appearance and Characteristics<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Harmful effects:<\/strong> <\/p>\n<p>\t \tUranium is harmful both through its chemical toxicity and its radioactivity. Exposure to uranium increases your risk of getting a variety of cancers due to its radioactivity. <\/p>\n<p>\t  <strong>Characteristics:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\t\tUranium is a dense, silvery-white, slightly paramagnetic, radioactive metal. It is also ductile and malleable. The metal tarnishes in air acquiring a dark layer of oxide. When finely powdered, uranium ignites spontaneously in air.<\/p>\n<p>\t\tUranium is a highly reactive metal and reacts with almost of all the nonmetallic elements and many of their compounds. It dissolves in acids, but it is insoluble in alkalis.<\/p>\n<p>When present in compounds, uranium exists mostly in oxidation state IV and oxidation state VI.<\/p>\n<p>\t\tAll isotopes of uranium are radioactive, some more so than others. Its radioactivity &#8211; in particular its capacity to undergo thermonuclear chain reactions &#8211; has led to uranium&#8217;s use in energy generation, both for civilian and military purposes.<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"uses\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Uses of Uranium<\/h2>\n<p>\t\tUranium is used as fuel for nuclear power plants. One kilogram of uranium-235 has the capacity to produce as much energy as 1,500,000 kilograms (1,500 tonnes) of coal.<\/p>\n<p>\t\tNaturally occurring uranium is over 99% U-238 with only about 0.7% of the fissile U-235. Huge gas diffusion plants are used to produce enriched uranium, which has higher concentrations of U-235.<\/p>\n<p>\t\tUranium for use in nuclear power plants is enriched to a U-235 concentration of 2-3%. <\/p>\n<p>\t\tIn nuclear weapons, it is believed uranium is enriched to about 90% U-235, although lower concentrations would still yield a working bomb.<\/p>\n<p>\t\tDepleted uranium is a byproduct of enriching uranium for nuclear purposes. It contains about 0.2% U-235 and is about half as radioactive as naturally occurring uranium.<\/p>\n<p>\t\tIts lower radioactivity has allowed depleted uranium to be used in applications where uranium&#8217;s very high density is useful. (A tennis ball sized sphere of uranium would weigh about 5.7 pounds (2.6 kilograms).) It is used by the military as shielding to protect army tanks, and also in parts of bullets and missiles. <\/p>\n<p>\t\tUse of depleted uranium in missiles is controversial because, on impact, uranium vapor and dust form and these are highly toxic.<\/p>\n<p>\t   U-238 can be converted into fissionable <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/plutonium.html\">plutonium<\/a> in breeder reactors.<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"abund\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Abundance and Isotopes<\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"elemgl\">Abundance earth&#8217;s crust:<\/span>  2.7  parts per million by weight,  0.25 parts per million by moles<\/p>\n<p>\t\t<span class=\"elemgl\">Abundance solar system:<\/span> 1 part per billion by weight, 4 parts per trillion by moles<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elemgl\">Cost, pure:<\/span>  $ per 100g<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elemgl\">Cost, bulk:<\/span> $9 per 100g<\/p>\n<p>\t\t<span class=\"elemgl\">Source:<\/span>  Uranium occurs naturally in several minerals such as uraninite (uranium oxide), carnotite and autunite. Canada is the world&#8217;s largest supplier of uranium, producing 20 to 30 percent of supplies. Commercially, uranium is produced through the reduction of uranium halides with alkali earth metals. Although most people think uranium is extraordinarily rare, it is in fact more abundant than familiar elements such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/mercury.html\">mercury<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/silver.html\">silver<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t<span class=\"elemgl\">Isotopes:<\/span> Uranium has 21 isotopes whose half-lives are known, with mass numbers 218 to 242. Natural uranium consists of three major isotopes: <sup>234<\/sup>U, <sup>235<\/sup>U, and <sup>238<\/sup>U. All  are radioactive. <sup>238<\/sup>U is the most stable isotope, with a half-life of 4.51 x 10<sup>9<\/sup> years (almost the age of the Earth).<\/p>\n<div style=\"max-width: 750px;\">\n<div style=\"line-height: 10px;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/\/www.chemicool.com\/ad.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display: block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-9461632227417539\" data-ad-slot=\"8753977201\" data-ad-format=\"auto\"><\/ins><script>(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/script><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a id=\"refer\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h4>References<\/h4>\n<ol>\n<li>Mary Elvira Weeks, Discovery of the Elements., (2003) p56.  Kessinger Publishing Co.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h4>Cite this Page<\/h4>\n<p>For online linking, please copy and paste one of the following:<\/p>\n<pre class='code'>\r\n&lt;a href=\"https:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/uranium.html\"&gt;Uranium&lt;\/a&gt;\r\n<\/pre>\n<p>or<\/p>\n<pre class='code'>\r\n&lt;a href=\"https:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/uranium.html\"&gt;Uranium Element Facts&lt;\/a&gt;\r\n<\/pre>\n<p>To cite this page in an academic document, please use the following MLA compliant citation:<\/p>\n<pre class='code'>\r\n\"Uranium.\" Chemicool Periodic Table. Chemicool.com. 24 Jul. 2015. Web. <script type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n<!--\r\nvar currentTime = new Date()\r\nvar month = currentTime.getMonth() + 1\r\nvar day = currentTime.getDate()\r\nvar year = currentTime.getFullYear()\r\ndocument.write(month + \"\/\" + day + \"\/\" + year)\r\n\/\/-->\r\n<\/script> \r\n&lt;https:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/uranium.html&gt;.<\/pre>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Data Zone | Discovery | Facts | Appearance &amp; Characteristics | Uses | Abundance &amp; Isotopes | References 92 U (238.0) The chemical element uranium is classed as an actinide metal. It was discovered in 1789 by Martin Heinrich Klaproth. Data Zone Classification: Uranium is an actinide metal Color: silvery-white Atomic weight: 238.0289, no stable [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":{"0":"post-750","1":"page","2":"type-page","3":"status-publish","5":"entry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/750","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=750"}],"version-history":[{"count":20,"href":"https:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/750\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4317,"href":"https:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/750\/revisions\/4317"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=750"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}