Definition

1. Noun:
   • A heavy, toxic, silvery-white, radioactive metallic element: Uranium is a naturally occurring chemical element with the symbol U and atomic number 92. It is dense, weakly radioactive, and has a characteristic silvery-white appearance when refined.
   • Occurs in many isotopes: Uranium exists in several isotopic forms, primarily uranium-238 and the fissile uranium-235, which is less abundant.
   • Used for nuclear fuels and nuclear weapons: Its primary applications are as fuel in nuclear power reactors to generate electricity and as the fissile material in some types of nuclear weapons.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The geologists discovered a significant deposit of uranium in the region.
  • Uranium must be enriched to increase the concentration of U-235 for use in most nuclear reactors.
  • The treaty aimed to limit the proliferation of uranium for weapons purposes.

Advanced Usage

• "Uranium enrichment": The process of increasing the proportion of the isotope uranium-235.
  • The facility was built for uranium enrichment.
• "Depleted uranium": Uranium that has a lower percentage of U-235 than natural uranium, a byproduct of enrichment, used in armor-piercing ammunition and radiation shielding.
  • Depleted uranium is used in some military applications due to its high density.

Variants and Related Words

• Uranic (adj): Pertaining to or containing uranium, especially in a higher valence state.
  • Uranic compounds were analyzed in the lab.
• Uraninite (n): A major ore mineral of uranium, also known as pitchblende.
  • The sample contained uraninite.

Synonyms

• Element 92: Referring to its atomic number.
• U (Chemical symbol): The standard abbreviation for uranium.

Related Phrases

• "Uranium hexafluoride (UF6)": A compound used in the uranium enrichment process.
  • The gas uranium hexafluoride is used in the enrichment cascade.
• "Yellowcake": A type of uranium concentrate powder obtained from leach solutions during uranium ore processing.
  • The mill produced yellowcake for shipment.

Noun

1. a heavy toxic silvery-white radioactive metallic element; occurs in many isotopes; used for nuclear fuels and nuclear weapons