Uranium
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Uranium is a chemical element (a metal) on the periodic table. It has an atomic number of 92. It is a very heavy element, with a very large nucleus in its center. The nucleus of a certain isotope of uranium (known as uranium-235) can be easily split into two piece after absorbing a neutron, which is known as nuclear fission. This gives off a lot of energy, and is used in both nuclear reactors and nuclear weapons. Another isotope of uranium (known as uranium-238) can absorb neutrons and turn into plutonium, which is also useful in reactors and nuclear weapons. Over 99% of uranium in nature is uranium-238, and it is very expensive and difficult to separate the less than 1% of the uranium-235 from this.
Uranium is weakly radioactive. Uranium which has had all of its uranium-235 separated from it is called depleted uranium, and is used for bomb casings because it is very heavy and thick. Uranium can also be used as a dye for glass or pottery, which is how it was used before people found out that it was radioactive and could be used for nuclear things.
