Difference between revisions of "Uranium"
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=== Natural decay chain of uranium-238 === | === Natural decay chain of uranium-238 === | ||
− | Uranium-238 is not only radiating itself but also produced a series of radioactive daughter elements which all are existing in the ore. The main problems for the surroundings of the ore are radium and radon, because radium binds easily to soluble substances and will be washed out by rain and goes to ground water. Radon is gaseous und leaves the mineral at open sur-faces and is in the air to be inhaled. Its half-life is only short, 3.8 days, but it is continuously produced again by radium.<ref name="Schmitz-Feuerhake">Prof. Dr. Inge Schmitz-Feuerhake, Hannover, Germany | + | Uranium-238 is not only radiating itself but also produced a series of radioactive daughter elements which all are existing in the ore. The main problems for the surroundings of the ore are radium and radon, because radium binds easily to soluble substances and will be washed out by rain and goes to ground water. Radon is gaseous und leaves the mineral at open sur-faces and is in the air to be inhaled. Its half-life is only short, 3.8 days, but it is continuously produced again by radium.<ref name="Schmitz-Feuerhake">Prof. Dr. Inge Schmitz-Feuerhake, Hannover, Germany, German Society of Radiation Protection: Health Effects of Uranium Mining in Workers and Residents and the Ex-perience in Germany. Lecture hold at the independent experts' hearing in Ranua on November 7, 2009</ref> |
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Revision as of 22:10, 20 November 2009
The page on uranium mining and its impacts has been moved to Uranium Mining.
Uranium-238
Natural decay chain of uranium-238
Uranium-238 is not only radiating itself but also produced a series of radioactive daughter elements which all are existing in the ore. The main problems for the surroundings of the ore are radium and radon, because radium binds easily to soluble substances and will be washed out by rain and goes to ground water. Radon is gaseous und leaves the mineral at open sur-faces and is in the air to be inhaled. Its half-life is only short, 3.8 days, but it is continuously produced again by radium.[1]
Nuclide | Half-life | Radiation | Relative activity |
---|---|---|---|
Uranium 238 | 4,5 x 109 y | α γ | 100 |
Th 234 | 24 d | β γ | 100 |
Pa 234m | 1,2 m | β γ | 100 |
U 234 | 2,5 x 105 y | α γ | 100 |
Th 230 | 8,0 x 104 y | α γ | 100 |
Radium 226 | 1622 y | α γ | 100 |
Radon 222 | 3,8 d | α | 100 |
Po 218 | 3,05 m | α | 100 |
Pb 214 | 26,8 m | β γ | 100 |
Bi 214 | 19,7 m | β | 100 |
Po 214 | 1,6 x 10-4 s | α γ | 100 |
Tl 210 | 1,3 m | β γ | 100 |
Pb 210 | 22 y | β γ | 100 |
Bi 210 | 5,0 d | β | 100 |
Po 210 | 138 d | α | 100 |
Tl 206 | 4,2 m | β | 100 |
Pb 206 | stable |
Finde more articles about Uranium on the Nuclear Heritage Network webpage.
- ↑ Prof. Dr. Inge Schmitz-Feuerhake, Hannover, Germany, German Society of Radiation Protection: Health Effects of Uranium Mining in Workers and Residents and the Ex-perience in Germany. Lecture hold at the independent experts' hearing in Ranua on November 7, 2009