uranium 235
noun
: a light isotope of uranium of mass number 235 that constitutes less than one percent of natural uranium, that when bombarded with slow neutrons undergoes rapid fission into smaller atoms with the release of neutrons and energy, and that is used in nuclear reactors and atomic bombs
Examples of uranium 235 in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Space reactor challenge Fuel rods made with uranium 235 oxide distributed in a metal or ceramic matrix comprise the core of a standard fission reactor.
—
Jacek Krywko, Ars Technica, 22 July 2024
Fission happens when a slow-moving neutron is absorbed by a uranium 235 nucleus and splits it into two lighter nuclei, releasing huge amounts of energy and excess, very fast neutrons.
—Jacek Krywko, Ars Technica, 22 July 2024
Natural uranium is composed of only 0.7 percent uranium 235 (U-235), which can support the fission reactions needed for generating power.
—IEEE Spectrum, 28 Dec. 2022
This is especially true if your fission system relies on highly enriched uranium—that is, uranium composed of 20 percent or more of the fissile isotope uranium 235.
—David W. Brown, Scientific American, 27 Jan. 2022
Perhaps the most audacious study of cosmic rays was carried out in 1931, by Auguste Piccard, Bertrand’s grandfather, an eccentric, bespectacled physicist who wrote several groundbreaking scientific papers and predicted the existence of uranium 235.
—Ben Taub, The New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2022
Increasing the proportion of uranium 235 is known as enrichment.
—BostonGlobe.com, 5 Nov. 2019
The centrifuges are used to separate the rare, highly radioactive isotope, uranium 235, from the less radioactive type, uranium 238.
—BostonGlobe.com, 5 Nov. 2019
The centrifuges are used to separate the rare, highly radioactive isotope, uranium 235, from uranium 238.
—David E. Sanger, New York Times, 4 Nov. 2019
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of
Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback
about these examples.
Jacek Krywko, Ars Technica, 22 July 2024
Fission happens when a slow-moving neutron is absorbed by a uranium 235 nucleus and splits it into two lighter nuclei, releasing huge amounts of energy and excess, very fast neutrons.
—Jacek Krywko, Ars Technica, 22 July 2024
Natural uranium is composed of only 0.7 percent uranium 235 (U-235), which can support the fission reactions needed for generating power.
—IEEE Spectrum, 28 Dec. 2022
This is especially true if your fission system relies on highly enriched uranium—that is, uranium composed of 20 percent or more of the fissile isotope uranium 235.
—David W. Brown, Scientific American, 27 Jan. 2022
Perhaps the most audacious study of cosmic rays was carried out in 1931, by Auguste Piccard, Bertrand’s grandfather, an eccentric, bespectacled physicist who wrote several groundbreaking scientific papers and predicted the existence of uranium 235.
—Ben Taub, The New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2022
Increasing the proportion of uranium 235 is known as enrichment.
—BostonGlobe.com, 5 Nov. 2019
The centrifuges are used to separate the rare, highly radioactive isotope, uranium 235, from the less radioactive type, uranium 238.
—BostonGlobe.com, 5 Nov. 2019
The centrifuges are used to separate the rare, highly radioactive isotope, uranium 235, from uranium 238.
—David E. Sanger, New York Times, 4 Nov. 2019
Dictionary Entries Near uranium 235
Cite this Entry
“Uranium 235.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/uranium%20235. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share