Jasmine Grover Content Strategy Manager
Content Strategy Manager
Uranium, a silvery-grey heavy metal, is an important nuclear fuel. This chemical element was discovered by Martin Heinrich Klaproth in 1789 and has an atomic number 92 and the symbol U in the periodic table. It was named Uranium after the name of the planet Uranus. It is a weak radioactive chemical element of the actinoid series of the periodic table, and that is the reason behind the instability of all the isotopes of Uranium.
Key Terms: Uranium, Uranus, Metal, Actinoid Series, Atomic Number, Electronic Configuration, Electropositive, Electronegativity
What is Uranium?
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Uranium is a weakly radioactive element that is denoted by the symbol U and has the atomic number 92 in the periodic table. It was formed over 6.6 billion years ago. It is one of the heavy metals present to date and can be utilized as a rich source of concentrated energy.
This element exists in many rocks in concentrations of 2 to 4 ppm and is commonly present in the earth’s crust as tungsten and tin. It is also present in seawater and can be retrieved from the oceans.
Uranium
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Physical Properties of Uranium
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Some of the major physical properties of Uranium are as follows:
- The slow radioactive decay of Uranium provides the major source of heat within the earth which is responsible for convection drift.
- The physical state of Uranium is solid at standard pressure and temperature.
- It has high density which has many applications in the counterweight of the aircraft control surfaces.
- Pure Uranium, silvery in colour, can easily get oxidized in air.
- It corrodes to a black oxide coat in the air.
- It is highly ductile, malleable, slightly paramagnetic, and a poor conductor of electricity
- It is strongly electropositive, which helps to react readily with water, and dissolves in acids but not in alkalis.
- It is one of the heaviest among all the naturally occurring elements when arranged in increasing mass of nuclei on a scale and is 18.7 times denser than water.
- Its crystal structure is orthorhombic.
- It is found as a mixture of two isotopes in nature i.e., U-238 (approximately 99.3%) and U-235 (approximately 0.7%).
Read More: Nuclear Fuel Cycle
Chemical Properties of Uranium
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The chemical properties of Uranium are listed below:
- It reacts with all types of non-metals and their compounds except noble gases.
- Reactivity of Uranium increases with an increase in temperature.
- It can be easily dissolved in hydrochloric acid and nitric acid.
- It reacts slowly with non-oxidizing acids.
- Uranium-235 was the first isotope of uranium to be found in fissile. When bombarded with slow neutrons it divides into two smaller nuclei mostly, releasing nuclear binding energy and more neutrons.
- Uranium hexafluoride is solid with high vapour pressure and chemically highly reactive but it has a corrosive nature in a vapour state.
- Finely divided Uranium can be readily reacted with cold water.
- Uranium is chemically extracted from ores and can be further converted to uranium dioxide and some other usable forms.
| Group | Actinides |
| Period | 7 |
| Block | f |
| Atomic Number | 92 |
| State at 20°C | Solid |
| Electron Configuration | [Rn] 5f36d17s2 |
| Melting Point | 1135°C, 2075°F, 1408 K |
| Boiling Point | 4131°C, 7468°F, 4404 K |
| Density (g cm-3) | 19.1 |
| Relative Atomic Mass | 238.029 |
| Key Isotopes | 234U, 235U, 238U |
Uses of Uranium
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The important uses of Uranium are as follows:
- Uranium is a metal that is used in nuclear power plants and weapons.
- The world of uranium mining is a huge one. The industry has been expanding steadily over the years. There are many different ways to mine uranium.
- The use of uranium in the world's energy supply is not something new and it has been used for more than 4,500 years. However, its usage has changed over the years and it is now one of the most important materials in our life.
- It is used in high-density penetrators in the military sector.
- It can be used as ballast for missile re-entry vehicles and as a shielding material.
- Radium is extracted from Uranium.
- It is used in lamp filaments and photographic chemicals.
- Due to its high density, it is used as counterweights in aircraft control surfaces.
- Depleted Uranium plates are used to harden the tank armours and other removable vehicle armours.
- It is used in wars as fission explosive material.
- It is used for stains and dyes in the leather and wood industry.
- It is used as electron-dense stains in transmission electron microscopy.
Read More: Transuranium Elements
Application of Uranium in Generation of Energy
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- Uranium electricity energy is generated in nuclear power plants with the aid of Uranium fission.
- To increase the proportion of U-235, engineers use various techniques like gasification or fuel synthesis.
- But according to studies, only 3–5% of the uranium in nuclear power plants is actually enriched in U-235
- The isotope U-235 is essential since it has a half-life of 5.47 minutes and can be split easily, yielding a lot of energy.
- Therefore, it is known as nuclear fission and is used to refer to the process of splitting atoms into smaller particles.
Use of Uranium in Nuclear Power
Read More: Difference Between Nuclear Fission and Nuclear Fusion
Things to Remember
- Uranium is a silvery-grey, weakly radioactive element of the actinoid series in the periodic table
- The important minerals of Uranium are pitchblende, carnotite, torbernite, autunite, and uraninite.
- The atomic number of uranium is 92 and it has the symbol U in the modern periodic table and it belongs to the Period: 7 and f-block of the periodic table.
- Two most common Isotopes of uranium are U-238 and U-235.
- It has high density and is considered one of the heaviest metals that exist in the universe.
- Uranium electricity energy is generated in nuclear power plants with the aid of Uranium fission.
Important PYQs Based On Uranium
- If In A Nuclear Fission Piece Of Uranium Of Mass 5 [VITEEE 2014]
- A Nucleus Of Uranium Decays At Rest Into Nuclei Of [NEET 2015]
- When A Uranium Isotope 235 92 U Is Bombarded With… [NEET 2020]
- For Uranium Nucleus How Does Its Mass Vary With Vo… [JEE Advanced 2003]
- Radioactive Decay Series Of Uranium Is Denoted As [JCECE 2005]
- A Chain Reaction In Fission Of Uranium Is Possible…
- Smallest Internuclear Distance Is Found In
- Considering X Axis As The Internuclear Axis Which
- Who Discovered Nuclear Fission
- In A Nuclear Reactor The Activity Of A Radioactive
- If The Nuclear Radius Of 27 Al Is 3 6 Fermi The Ap
- The Density Of A Nucleus Of Mass Number A Is Propo… [DUET 2010]
- The Ratio Of The Radii Of The Nuclei 13 Al 27 And… [AMUEEE 2013]
- The Nuclear Force… [JKCET 2009]
- The Distance Of Closest Approach For An Alpha Nucl… [JKCET 2016]
- The Crucial Function Of Moderators In Nuclear Reac… [AMUEEE 2010]
Sample Questions
Ques. What is Uranium? (3 Marks)
Ans. Uranium is a silvery-grey naturally occurring element found in the Earth's crust. Uranium is a metal that is used in nuclear technology. It can be found in various other applications such as batteries, solar panels, and nuclear reactors. It has a very high atomic number and is classified as a gas under standard conditions. It is used in nuclear power generation, nuclear medicine and other areas of science. It is a very reactive element and it reacts with things like water to form compounds and other substances.
Ques. What group is Uranium in? (3 Marks)
Ans. Uranium does not belong to any particular group of the periodic table. It belongs to a series known as the actinoid series or actinide family. This series is basically present in the f-block and 7th period of the periodic table. This series has elements starting from atomic number 89 to atomic number 103. The first member of the atomic number 89 is known as actinium. Elements of this series are known as actinides and all these elements are radioactive and release energy from radioactive decay.
Ques. How can the use of Uranium impact the environment? (5 Marks)
Ans. Uranium is a radioactive element that is mined and used in various products. It can be found in uranium ore, uranium metal, uranium compounds and many other products.
The main source of concern with the use of Uranium is its impact on human health. The effects of Uranium can be found everywhere - from the air we breathe to the food we eat and even on our skin. The following are listed as possible risks associated with the use of Uranium:
- Targeted Health Risks- Exposure to uranium can cause lung cancer, leukaemia and other health problems. This risk is highest in women who have children who are exposed to it.
- Radiation- The amount of radiation released by uranium is not enough to cause health problems, but it can still be harmful. It may damage your DNA.
- Exposure to Uranium- The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has determined that the small amounts of radioactive material found in foods and liquids from uranium mines pose no health risks.
Ques. How is Uranium tested in water? (3 Marks)
Ans. Uranium is a naturally occurring element. It’s found in all living beings, but it is mainly found in the crust of the Earth and in many other elements. In water, uranium is mostly found as a trace element. The kidney is most affected by the presence of uranium and it can also lead to some dreadful diseases like cancer.
Solid fluorimetry is used to measure the amount of Uranium in water. It can be done by laser excitation or by ultraviolet light by fusion of the sample with carbonate and sodium fluoride pellets. Reverse Osmosis is another method of removing uranium from the water.
Ques. What is the use of Uranium? (3 Marks)
Ans. The use of uranium in nuclear power is a very important issue. The radioactive elements present in the atmosphere and water will eventually be used as fuel for nuclear power plants.
With the use of Uranium, we can create more efficient energy sources and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. We can also use it to make weapons to protect ourselves from other countries or to attack other countries. In conclusion, uranium is a very important element which will make our world more beautiful.
Ques. What are the possible results when U-235 undergoes nuclear fission reaction? (3 Marks)
Ans. As each atom of uranium contains 92 protons and 143 neutrons which in total results in 235 atoms. All the particles present in them are unstable and when the external force is applied, it disintegrates into certain chemical species. This splitting leads to the breaking into two or more neutrons. This results in an exothermic reaction and hence a lot of energy is released during this process.
The nuclear fission reaction of U-235 is described in detail below:
Ques. Where does uranium come from? (3 Marks)
Ans. Uranium is found naturally in low concentrations of soil, rock and water and is extracted from uranium-bearing minerals such as uraninite. Uranium ore can be mined from underground excavations.
As the name suggests, uranium is a heavy element that is a fissionable isotope. It is one of the most important raw materials for nuclear power plants. It is used in a variety of products, from fuel rods to nuclear warheads. The energy source is also very important in the modern world.
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