Uranium (U) – Periodic Table (Element Information & More)

This is a SUPER easy guide on Uranium element.

In fact, the table mentioned below is the perfect information box (Which gives you every single detail about the Uranium element in Periodic table.)

So if you want to know anything about Uranium element, then this guide is for you.

Let’s dive right into it!

Uranium Element (U) Information

Appearance	Silvery-gray metallic surface
State (at STP)	Solid
Position in Periodic table	Group: actinides, Period: 7, Block: f
Category	Inner transition metals
Atomic number or  Protons	92
Neutrons	146
Electrons	92
Symbol	U
Atomic mass	238.03 u
Electrons arrangement or  Bohr model	2, 8, 18, 32, 21, 9, 2
Electronic configuration	[Rn] 5f3 6d1 7s2
Atomic radius	240 picometers (van der Waals radius)
1st Ionization energy	6.194 eV
Electronegativity	1.38 (Pauling scale)
Crystal structure	Orthorhombic
Melting point	1405 K or 1132 °C or 2070 °F
Boiling point	4404 K or 4131 °C or 7468 °F
Density	19.05 g/cm3
Main isotopes	234U, 235U and 238U
Who discovered Uranium and when?	Martin Heinrich Klaproth (in 1789)
CAS number	7440-61-1

Uranium in Periodic table

Uranium element is in period 7 and in actinides group of the Periodic table. Uranium is the f-block element and it belongs to inner transition metals group.

Click on above elements (in Periodic table) to see their information or Visit Interactive Periodic Table (which shows names, symbol, atomic mass, electron configuration, electrons arrangement, etc. of all the elements)

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Why is Uranium in Period 7?

Let me ask you a question.

How many shells does uranium have?

It’s 7. Right?

You have already seen the bohr model of uranium atom in the above table.

From the Bohr model, it can be found that the number of orbits or shells in uranium is 7. Hence, as uranium has 7 orbits, it lies in period 7 of the Periodic table. 

Why is Uranium in f-block?

Before knowing this reason, first of all I want to ask you a simple question.

How can you determine the blocks-wise position of elements?

The simple answer: The elements will lie in the s, p, d or f block will completely depend upon the subshell in which the last electron will enter.

For example; the electron configuration of uranium is [Rn] 5f³ 6d¹ 7s².

Here, the last electron of uranium enters the f-subshell or f-orbital. 

Hence, uranium is the f-block element.

5 Interesting facts about Uranium

Interesting facts about uranium element are mentioned below.

1. The name “Uranium” was derived from the name of the planet “Uranus”, which was itself named after the Greek god of sky Uranus.
2. The first atomic bomb which was used in World War II (Hiroshima, Japan) was made from Uranium.
3. Uranium was discovered by Martin Heinrich Klaproth in 1789.
4. Uranium is mostly obtained from the earth’s crust from its mineral ore uraninite.
5. Uranium is the 50^th most abundant element from the earth’s crust and it is mined from countries like Kazakhstan, Canada, Australia, Niger, Namibia and Russia.

Properties of Uranium

The physical and chemical properties of uranium element are mentioned below.

Physical properties of Uranium

Physical properties of uranium are mentioned below.

• The pure uranium metal is solid and has a silvery-grey metallic surface.
• Uranium has many isotopes, and all those isotopes are radioactive in nature.
• The melting point of pure uranium is 1132 °C and its boiling point is 4131 °C.
• Uranium has an Orthorhombic crystal structure.
• The atomic mass of uranium is 238.03 u and its density is 19.05 g/cm³.

Chemical properties of Uranium

Chemical properties of uranium are mentioned below.

• When uranium is allowed to come in contact with the atmospheric air, it forms an oxide layer on it.
• Uranium is generally not affected by alkalis but it dissolves in the acids.
• Apart from being radioactive, it is also highly toxic.

Uses of Uranium

The uses of uranium are mentioned below.

• The uranium is used mainly as a nuclear fuel in nuclear power plants to generate electricity.
• The heat present in the earth’ crust is also due to the presence of uranium and thorium element.
• Before its radioactivity was discovered, it was used in making yellow glass as well as pottery glazes.
• Apart from these, it is also used for research work in chemistry.

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External resources:

1. Uranium – Element information, properties and uses | Periodic Table. (n.d.). Uranium – Element Information, Properties and Uses | Periodic Table. https://www.rsc.org/periodic-table/element/92/uranium
2. Uranium – Wikipedia. (2014, August 6). Uranium – Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uranium
3. Nuclear Fuel Facts: Uranium. (n.d.). Energy.gov. https://www.energy.gov/ne/nuclear-fuel-facts-uranium
4. P. (n.d.). Uranium | U (Element) – PubChem. Uranium | U (Element) – PubChem. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/element/Uranium
5. It’s Elemental – The Element Uranium. (n.d.). It’s Elemental – the Element Uranium. https://education.jlab.org/itselemental/ele092.html
6. What is Uranium? How Does it Work – World Nuclear Association. (n.d.). What Is Uranium? How Does It Work – World Nuclear Association. https://world-nuclear.org/information-library/nuclear-fuel-cycle/introduction/what-is-uranium-how-does-it-work.aspx
7. Uranium. (n.d.). NRC Web. https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/glossary/uranium.html
8. Manhattan Project: Science > Nuclear Physics > URANIUM CHEMISTRY AND METALLURGY. (n.d.). Manhattan Project: Science > Nuclear Physics > URANIUM CHEMISTRY AND METALLURGY. https://www.osti.gov/opennet/manhattan-project-history/Science/NuclearPhysics/uranium-chemistry.html