Uranium 238 (Noun)
Meaning
The commonest isotope of uranium; it is not fissionable but when irradiated with neutrons it produces fissionable plutonium 239.
Classification
Nouns denoting substances.
Examples
- Uranium-238 is the most abundant isotope of uranium found in nature, making up about 99.3% of natural uranium.
- The production of plutonium-239 from uranium-238 is a crucial step in the nuclear fuel cycle.
- Uranium-238 is not suitable for use as fuel in nuclear reactors due to its non-fissionable properties.
- When bombarded with neutrons, uranium-238 undergoes a series of nuclear reactions that ultimately produce plutonium-239.
- The conversion of uranium-238 to plutonium-239 is a key process in the production of nuclear fuel for certain types of reactors.