Uranium (U)
Uranium is a dense, radioactive metal used as fuel in nuclear power plants and in nuclear weapons.
Properties of Uranium
- Atomic number
- 92
- Category
- Actinide
- Atomic mass
- 238.03 u
- Electron configuration
- [Rn] 5f³ 6d¹ 7s²
- Melting point
- 1405.3 K (1132.15 °C)
- Boiling point
- 4404 K (4130.85 °C)
- Density
- 18.95 g/cm³
- Electronegativity (Pauling)
- 1.38
- Appearance
- Silvery-gray metallic
- Discovered by
- Martin Heinrich Klaproth (1789)
Facts about Uranium
- Uranium was named after the planet Uranus!
- A single pellet of uranium fuel contains as much energy as a ton of coal!
- Uranium is so dense that a softball-sized piece would weigh about 15 pounds!
- Uranium glass glows bright green under UV light — and people used to eat off it!