How-To Geek
How Uranium Refinement Works [Video]
While building a nuclear weapon is a complex task in and of itself, the most difficult part is refining uranium. In this informative video, Bill Hammack explains.
Weapons and power plants require uranium that contains a greater amount of the isotope uranium-235 than found in natural uranium, which is mostly uranium-238. He outlines the key difficulty in separating the two isotope: They have nearly identical properties. He explains the two key methods for separation: Gas diffusion and centrifuges.
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Comments (4)
Jason Fitzpatrick is warranty-voiding DIYer and all around geek. When he's not documenting mods and hacks he's doing his best to make sure a generation of college students graduate knowing they should put their pants on one leg at a time and go on to greatness, just like Bruce Dickinson. You can follow him on Google+ if you'd like.
- Published 06/20/12
Absolutely fascinating–really. Living in Moab, UT–home of uranium mining and Charlie Steen–and reading the news on Iran makes makes more sense.
Some years of my misspent youth were expended working on nuclear weapons. Truly interesting to be surrounded by many very powerful and very real ones.
Fascinating. Don’t you love it when you find a natural teacher like Bill Hammack who has a talent for explaining complex subjects in understandable way?
I took away more understanding from that little narrated video than I did from my college physics classes. I want my tuition money back!!!
PS. I couldn’t agree more with the underlying message: We should all be VERY glad that this isn’t easy to do!
Coming from a neutral country that is isolated like New Zealand, we just look at the states as being killers. why do you need to be in this weapons race and kill so many people?your former leader should be charged with war crimes.Increasethepeace