Uranium

U	92
Uranium

Abundance: 0.0%

Uranium, periodic table U, is a metal. It's most common isotope ²³⁸U has 146 neutrons. ²³⁸U is the most common isotope, representing 99% of all uranium. It is unstable and slightly radioactive, with a half life of 4.468×10⁹ years (4.5 billion hears). The most important commercial isotope of uranium is ²³⁵U, that is radioactive with a half life of 7.04×10⁸ years. ²³⁵U represents 0,72% of all uranium.

Uranium used in nuclear reactors is usually enriched in ²³⁵U to increase its radioactivity to the point it can sustain a nuclear chain reaction. Commercial nuclear power plants use fuel that is typically enriched to around 3% ²³⁵U.

Uranium's average concentration in the Earth's crust is (depending on the reference) 2 to 4 parts per million, or about 40 times as abundant as silver.

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