Uranium

Uranium (U)

Atomic Number: 92
Atomic Weight: 238.03
Melting Point: 1132.3
Boiling Point: 3818
Specific Gravity: 18.95
Valences: 2,3,4,5 or 6
Uranium oxide was discovered in 1789 by Klaproth; uranium was isolated in 1841. Uranium and its isotopes are radioactive. This element can be found in minerals such as pitchblende and phosphate rock. With the advent of the nuclear age, uranium now occupies a key position in nuclear weapons and nuclear energy. It is named after the planet Uranus. [LM] {RW}