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Discovery -

In 1789, German chemist Martin Heinrich Klaproth discovered uranium.

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Discovery -

Klaproth was examining the mineral pitchblende when unusual chemical reactions occurred. He realized that what he thought was pitchblende was, in fact, a new element he had discovered.

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Name -

The new element was named by Klaproth in honor of the recently discovered planet Uranus.

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Old -

Uranium, a substance with a long history, has been documented since 79 CE. At that time, uranium oxide was utilized as a coloring agent for glass and in ceramic glazes.

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Glow -

Glass colored with uranium emits a glowing effect when exposed to black light.

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Color of uranium -

Uranium is initially silver but it readily oxidizes upon contact with air.

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Pure uranium -

French chemist Eugène-Melchior Péligot successfully obtained pure uranium in 1841 by heating uranium tetrachloride alongside potassium.

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Radioactivity -

In 1896, French physicist Antoine H. Becquerel found that uranium was radioactive, after leaving a sample of it on top of an unexposed photographic plate. The plate became cloudy.

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Radioactivity -

Marie Curie, a renowned scientist from Poland, introduced the term "radioactivity" after Becquerel's finding. She and her husband Pierre Curie, a French scientist, were pioneers in the study of radioactivity.

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What is its origin? -

It’s believed that uranium was formed in a supernova about 6.6 billion years ago and made its way to Earth. The element’s slow radioactive decay is the main source of heat inside the planet.

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Uranium outweighs silver -

Uranium ranks as the 48th most abundant element in the Earth's natural crust, being 40 times more abundant than silver.

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Decay speed -

The decay rate of different types of uranium varies, with Uranium-238 having a half-life of 4.5 billion years and Uranium-234 having a half-life of 245,500 years.

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Decay speed -

Uranium-214 stands out as it is man-made, with a brief half-life of just half a millisecond.

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Uranium is not the most radioactive material -

Uranium has a comparatively low rate of decay, making it less radioactive. Surprisingly, polonium is the most radioactive element with a half-life of 138 days.

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Nuclear fission -

However, this does not ensure enhanced safety in terms of explosive capability. This occurs due to the process of nuclear fission, in which a substantial amount of energy is liberated. Uranium-235, an alternate isotope of uranium, exemplifies this occurrence.

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Nuclear bomb -

Nuclear fission serves as the fundamental principle behind atomic bombs. For instance, the bomb detonated in Hiroshima contained less than a kilogram of uranium, yet the resulting blast had a power equivalent to about 15 kilotons of TNT.

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Nuclear bomb -

Only a small fraction of the uranium in the bomb, a total of 1.38%, underwent fission. The "Little Boy" bomb contained 140 pounds (64 kg) of uranium in total.

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Enriching uranium fission -

In order to increase the efficiency of uranium fission, it needs to be enriched, a process used in nuclear power plants to produce energy.

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Depleted uranium -

The remaining material is depleted uranium, commonly utilized in items like bullets and tank armor. Depleted uranium possesses about half the radioactivity of natural uranium.

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Solid uranium oxide -

Yellowcake refers to solid uranium oxide, appearing as a yellow powder. This form of uranium is commonly commercialized before undergoing the enrichment process.

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Mines -

Uranium extraction takes place in 20 nations internationally. The primary providers are Kazakhstan, Namibia, Canada, Australia, Niger, and Russia.

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We all come into contact with uranium in our daily lives -

We are all naturally exposed to minute amounts of uranium. Exposure happens through food, water, soil, and air, but this level of exposure is considered safe.

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Who uses nuclear power? -

Approximately 10% of global electricity is produced through nuclear reactors. Examples include the US, which obtains about 20% of its electricity from nuclear sources, while Belgium, Sweden, and Ukraine generate 30% or more. France relies on nuclear reactors for over 70% of its electricity.

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Radioisotopes -

Radioisotopes are isotopes of elements that are radioactive. They are characterized as  “atoms that contain an unstable combination of neutrons and protons, or excess energy in their nucleus.”

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Additional applications for nuclear power -

Artificially-produced radioisotopes have been utilized since the 1950s, resulting in significant impact on various aspects of our lives.

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Healthcare -

Radioisotopes are commonly used in diagnostics and research. A prime example is radiation therapy, an effective cancer treatment that employs radioisotopes. Gamma radiation is used to sterilize a wide range of medical instruments.

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Cuisine -

Radioisotopes are also used in the preservation of food, from killing pests to controlling the ripening of fruit and vegetables.

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Agriculture and animals -

Radioisotopes play a valuable role in agriculture and livestock breeding. They help create disease-resistant crops and enhance resilience against adverse weather conditions.

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Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty -

Uranium is used to generate energy and it's sold to countries that have signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The NPT allows international inspection to verify the uranium usage has peaceful intentions.

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Disarmament -

After a widespread nuclear disarmament in the 1990s, a significant amount of uranium that was originally intended for military purposes became accessible for generating electricity.

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Disarmament -

According to the World Nuclear Association, "over two decades to 2013 one-tenth of US electricity was made from Russian weapons uranium."

Sources: (World Nuclear Association) (Live Science) (Australia's Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation)

See also: Nuclear threat: the most radioactive places on earth

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