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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
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 programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'uranium 235.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1940, in the meaning defined above
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 13 Jun. 2024.
Kids Definition
uranium 235
noun
: a light form of uranium of mass number 235 that when bombarded with neutrons splits rapidly into smaller atoms with the release of neutrons and atomic energy
Medical Definition
uranium 235
noun
: a light isotope of uranium of mass number 235 that when bombarded with slow neutrons undergoes rapid fission into smaller atoms with the release of neutrons and energy
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