Uranium is mostly out of elements other than uranium, is is refined into yellow cake, which is mostly uranium oxide. Yellow can then be purified and used in some reactor types or be enriched. Enrichment is basically separating the U235 for use in other reactors or bombs. Those reactors can also output plutonium for more effective bombs.
U238 is effective in ammo due to its mass but it irradiates soldiers and contaminates the battlefield.
Uranium is mostly out of elements other than uranium, is is refined into yellow cake, which is mostly uranium oxide. Yellow can then be purified and used in some reactor types or be enriched. Enrichment is basically separating the U235 for use in other reactors or bombs. Those reactors can also output plutonium for more effective bombs.
U238 is effective in ammo due to its mass but it irradiates soldiers and contaminates the battlefield.
Alright that makes sense. It seems o got the two mixed up.
Alright that makes sense. It seems o got the two mixed up.
But isn't enriching just refining the 235 from the non fissile 238?
Uranium ore is like 1% 235
Yellow cake is like 20-30% 235
Highly enriched uranium is roughly 70-90% 235
I thought it all came down to the ratios of fissile material vs non.