uranium 238

uranium 238

n. the radioactive uranium isotope having a mass number of 238, used chiefly in nuclear reactors as a source of the fissionable isotope plutonium 239. [1940–45]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

uranium 238 - the commonest isotope of uranium; it is not fissionable but when irradiated with neutrons it produces fissionable plutonium 239atomic number 92, uranium, U - a heavy toxic silvery-white radioactive metallic element; occurs in many isotopes; used for nuclear fuels and nuclear weapons