uranium-235

English

A model of an atom of uranium-235

Etymology

From uranium +‎ 235 (“the atomic mass of the isotope”).

Noun

uranium-235 (uncountable)

1. (physics) A fissile isotope of uranium, used for energy generation and in atomic weapons, containing one hundred and forty-three neutrons. It has a half-life of 7·038×10⁸ years; it decays into thorium-231 and ultimately lead.
   • 2022 November 21, Lorenzo Tondo, Peter Beaumont, “Ukraine to start evacuations in Kherson and Mykolaiv regions as winter sets in”, in The Guardian‎^[1]:

     The Zaporizhzhia plant provided about a fifth of Ukraine’s electricity before Russia’s invasion, and has been forced to operate on backup generators a number of times. It has six Soviet-designed water-cooled and water-moderated reactors containing uranium-235.

Usage notes

• In scientific literature, the more technically correct abbreviation ²³⁵₉₂U is used, rather than U-235.

See also

• uranium-232
• uranium-233
• uranium-234
• uranium-238
• uranium-239
• uranium-240