Uranium is especially a byproduct of phosphate industry; but also a byproduct of gold, vanadium, shales mining.
The density of uranium is 19,1 g/cm3. The density of plutonium is 19,816 g/cm3.
Plutonium is a by product of nuclear reactions of uranium in a nuclear reactor. An example of reaction is: 23892U + n-------23992U-------23993Np + e--------23994Pu + e
The critical mass of plutonium is lower, plutonium is not so expensive as highly enriched uranium, the technology to obtain plutonium is more simple than the isotopic separa-tion of uranium, etc.
Uranium and plutonium are very heavy metals belonging to the element category actinide encompassing the 15 metallic chemical elements with atomic numbers from 89 to 103, actinium through lawrencium. Three uranium isotopes occur in nature versus only trace amounts of one isotope of plutonium. Of course the nuclear, chemical, physical and toxicological properties of uranium and plutonium are very different.
Plutonium has the same composition as uranium, except for the fact that it contains one more neutron and one more proton. Actually Plutonium-239 has 2 more protons and 2 more neutrons than Uranium-235.
Plutonium 238 is an alpha emitter; the decay product is uranium 234.
The isotope 131I is a fission product of uranium and plutonium.
Plutonium 238 is an alpha emitter; the decay product is uranium 234.
Plutonium and uranium can form alloys.
Uranium and plutonium can form alloys.
Yes, it is possible to recycle "burned" uranium and plutonium.
The atomic radii of uranium and plutonium are identical.
Uranium.
Plutonium is obtained from uranium irradiated in nuclear reactors, consequently the production of plutonium depends on uranium resources.
Uranium is not easily obtained; and the technology of plutonium is extremely difficult.
Plutonium and enriched uranium are different materials.Enriched uranium is uranium with a concentration of the isotope 235U greater than the natural concentration of 0,7 %.
Hiroshima bomb: uranium Nagasaki bomb: plutonium