![]() Once the munition penetrates a target, it may fragment into smaller pieces and ignite, causing further damage. Advanced tanks use DU in their armor to protect against armor-piercing munitions.ĭU's density also gives the munition a higher momentum, which enables it to push through materials. Formed into a projectile, such as a bullet or shell, its high density helps the munition penetrate into a target. This gives it some desirable characteristics in munitions.īecause DU is a byproduct of the nuclear fuel cycle, plenty of it is readily available. Why is depleted uranium used in munitions?ĭepleted uranium can be manufactured into a very dense material – about 1.7 times more dense than lead. ![]() In this process, they produce specific isotopes of other radioactive elements such as thorium, protactinium and radium.ĭepleted uranium tank shells are extremely hard and dense and can penetrate the walls of Russian tanks. All isotopes of uranium decay over time, emitting both radiation and energetic particles and transforming into different chemical elements. U-235 has a half life of about 700 million years and represents about 0.72% of natural uranium.ĭepleted uranium is about 40% less radioactive than natural uranium. It takes approximately 4.5 billion years – roughly the life of the Earth – for half of a given quantity of uranium-238 to decay into other elements. U-238, the most abundant naturally occurring isotope, constitutes about 99.27% of all natural uranium. What's left over after this process removes some of the U-235 is called depleted uranium.Īll uranium is radioactive, and each isotope has its own unique half-life. U-235 in fairly low concentrations is used as fuel in commercial nuclear reactors in high concentrations, it can power nuclear weapons.Įngineers use a process called enrichment to extract U-235 from natural uranium ore. The isotope U-235 is fissile, which means that it can be split in a reaction that releases a lot of energy. Ukraine's counteroffensive begins in earnest Depleted uranium is mainly U-238, with small amounts of other isotopes, including U-235. These isotopes are all uranium and have the same chemical characteristics, but they have slightly different masses, as indicated by the numbers 234, 235 and 238. Natural uranium is composed primarily of three isotopes: U-234, U-235 and U-238. Uranium, symbolized by the letter U, is a naturally occurring element that is radioactive. Health physicist Kathryn Higley explains what depleted uranium is and what's known about potential health and environmental risks. But soldiers or civilians can be exposed to the uranium, either in combat or afterward. Britain has already delivered tanks to Ukraine equipped with depleted-uranium shells.ĭU munitions, developed in the 1970s, are not nuclear weapons and do not produce a nuclear explosion. The Biden administration has agreed to provide Ukraine with depleted uranium shells to equip M1A1 Abrams tanks that the U.S. Keep them so you can share them with other health care providers you might see in the future.This article was originally published on The Conversation. Save any records that explain what chemotherapy and radiation treatments you had. If your parents or other family members have records of your treatment, give those to your provider. Make sure your health care provider knows about your childhood cancer treatments. ![]() Someone who was treated for cancer many years ago might not realize these problems could be related to past cancer treatment. Some of these problems are common as people age. Increased risk of other types of cancers.Memory issues and learning disabilities.Short stature, caused by slow bone growth.Bone problems, such as joint pain and bone thinning, which is also called osteoporosis.Lung problems, which can cause difficulty breathing.Blood vessel problems, including a higher risk of stroke.Heart problems, including a higher risk of heart attack.The age at which you were treated may determine what late side effects, if any, you might have.Ĭhildhood cancer survivors experience some of these late side effects: Late side effects in childhood cancer survivors depend on the type of cancer and treatment. If radiation was used on a body part other than the head or neck, there won't be a risk of cavities and tooth decay. Late effects of radiation and surgery affect only the area of the body exposed to them. So if you didn't receive the chemotherapy medicines that can cause infertility, you aren't believed to be at risk of that late effect. Some people might not have any late effects.ĭifferent chemotherapy medicines cause different late effects. Not everyone who has cancer treatment gets each of the late effects.
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