Inhaling large concentrations of uranium can cause lung cancer from the exposure to alpha particles.
Ingestion of high concentrations of uranium, however, can cause severe health effects, such as cancer of the bone or liver.
#Nuclear fission uranium 235 skin#
When it has been refined and enriched, uranium is a silvery-white metal.īecause uranium decays by alpha particles, external exposure to uranium is not as dangerous as exposure to other radioactive elements because the skin will block the alpha particles. Enriched uranium can be in the form of small pellets that are packaged in the long tubes used in nuclear reactors. U-235 can be concentrated in a process called “enrichment,” making it suitable for use in nuclear reactors or weapons. U-238 is the most abundant form in the environment. U-235 and U-238 occur naturally in nearly all rock, soil, and water. It also can be used in nuclear weapons.ĭepleted uranium (uranium containing mostly U-238) can be used for radiation shielding or as projectiles in armor-piercing weapons. Uranium “enriched” into U-235 concentrations can be used as fuel for nuclear power plants and the nuclear reactors that run naval ships and submarines. Chemical properties: Weakly radioactive, extremely dense metal (65% denser than lead)
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