Chapter 7.7, Problem 7.24CT

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:

Depleted uranium (DU) was used during gulf war and other armed conflicts, including Kuwait, Bosnia, Afghanistan and Iraq. The properties that make depleted uranium to pierce armor have to be investigated. Also the controversies involved in the use of DU have to be summarized.

Concept Introduction:

$\text{Uranium-235}$ is used as fuel in nuclear power plants for energy production. Natural abundance of $\text{U-235}$ is very less compared to $\text{U-238}$. In order to use in reactor uranium has to be enriched with $\text{U-235}$.

Depleted uranium (DU) arises mainly as a by-product during the production of enriched uranium. That is, DU is the one that remains after the removal of radioactive isotope $\text{U-235}$. So, depleted uranium is mainly composed $\text{U-238(~99}\text{.8\%)}\text{.}$