Element 92

Uranium (U)

Actinide · Period 7 · f-block

Uranium (U) is element 92 of the periodic table, a actinide in period 7 (f-block) with an atomic mass of 238.03 and is a solid at standard conditions.

At a glance

Atomic number
92
Symbol
U
Atomic mass
238.03 u
Category
Actinides
Period
7
Block
f-block
Phase at STP
solid

Electron structure

Electron configuration
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p6 4d10 4f14 5s2 5p6 5d10 6s2 6p6 5f3 6d1 7s2
Shorthand configuration
[Rn] 5f3 6d1 7s2
Electrons per shell
2, 8, 18, 32, 21, 9, 2
Oxidation states
+1, +2, +3, +4, +5, +6

Physical properties

Melting point
1405.3 K
Boiling point
4404 K
Density
18.95 g/cm3
Phase
solid

Atomic properties

Electronegativity (Pauling)
1.38
Atomic radius
156 pm
Covalent radius
196 pm
Van der Waals radius
186 pm
First ionization energy
598 kJ/mol
Electron affinity
51 kJ/mol

Notable isotopes

IsotopeMassAbundanceStability
U-238238.05079Half-life 4.47 billion years

Common uses

  • Nuclear power
  • Nuclear weapons
  • Medical isotopes
  • Dating rocks

Discovery

Year
1789
Discovered by
Martin Heinrich Klaproth
Country
Germany

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