Depleted uranium

Originally posted by Nexus
What's in depleted uranium to make it such a good tankbuster? And how does the shell work [positions of uranium etc...].

Uranium is a metal that is extremely dense, hard, and self-sharpens when it hits something (unlike metals like lead, which become blunt). Depleted Uranium is primarily Uranium 238 (by this, I mean somewhere around 99.99999%, as opposed to about 97% in natural uranium). Uranium 238 is non-fissile (meaning it won't work in nuclear weapons/reactors - this is why it was seperated out in the first place), and although radioactive it has an extremely long half-life (around 4.5 billion years). What this means is that for a given amount of U238, it gives off an extremely small amount of radiation compared to something with a shorter half life. In fact, on scientific charts (such as a table of nuclides, a common physics reference) half lifes such as this are coded the same as non-radioactive materials.

because of the self sharpening in Tungsten and DU - it works a lot like Asbestos fibers when inhaled- only so much more because the dust is as fine as talcum powder. Radioactivity is not an/the issue with DU. simply because it is called "uranium" people get their panties in a bunch.

imagine inhaling a lung full of fiber glass- it too will cause extensive scaring in your lungs as it irritates the soft lining. ask any medical doctor what the end result will be if the dust is fine enough!!!!

Like i said earlier- war zones require a good dust mask- as does a natural disaster area. please be sure to wear your protective equipment, jimmies included