Uranium (U)
"The Nuclear Powerhouse, the hero who fuels the world's nuclear reactors but also has a dark, explosive potential."
A memorable persona to anchor U in your mind.
19.1
Grams per cm³
1135
Celsius (°C)
240
Radius (pm)
Daily Life Link
Uranium is found in the fuel rods in a nuclear power plant.
Discovery & History
Year Discovered
1789
Discovered By
Martin Heinrich Klaproth
Origin of Name
"Uranium was named after the planet Uranus."
Technical Properties
Atomic Mass
238.029 u
Standard State
solid
Boiling Point
4131°C
Electron Configuration
[Rn] 5f36d17s2
1st Ionization Energy
6.194 eV
Electron Affinity
N/A
Oxidation States
"Uranium is a heavy, silvery-white, weakly radioactive metal."
Did You Know?
It was named after the planet Uranus, which had been discovered just eight years prior to the element's discovery in 1789.
It is the heaviest element to be found naturally in significant quantities on Earth.
A single pound of highly enriched uranium can release as much energy as 1.5 million kilograms (3 million pounds) of coal.
Depleted uranium, which is about 40% less radioactive than natural uranium, is extremely dense and is used for armor-piercing bullets and protective armor on tanks.