uranium

The word “uranium” means a heavy, silvery-grey radioactive metal (element 92), used as fuel in nuclear reactors and in nuclear weapons. In plain terms, a radioactive metal best known as the fuel behind nuclear power and nuclear bombs.

“Uranium” is pronounced yuu-RAY-nee-uhm (/ˌjuːˈɹeɪniəm/ in IPA).

Here is “uranium” used in a sentence: “The reactor is fuelled by enriched uranium.”

“Uranium” is a noun.

The word “uranium” dates back to around 1789. Named in 1789 by the chemist Martin Klaproth after the planet Uranus, which had been discovered just a few years earlier.

“Uranium” is a fairly common word in modern English.

Uranium is a heavy, silvery-grey radioactive metal used as fuel in nuclear reactors to generate electricity, and it is also used in the production of nuclear weapons. Its radioactive properties make it central to both civilian energy production and military applications.

Uranium is a naturally occurring radioactive element, element 92 on the periodic table, while plutonium is typically produced artificially, often as a byproduct of nuclear reactors using uranium fuel. Both are used in nuclear reactors and weapons, but uranium is mined directly from the earth.

Uranium is radioactive, meaning it emits energy that can be harmful to living tissue with sufficient exposure, and its use in nuclear weapons makes it a material of significant security concern. Its role as reactor fuel also requires careful handling and storage due to radioactivity.