Uranium 238, like all uranium isotopes, is radioactive. The nucleus of this element contains 92 protons and 146 neutrons. This nucleus is unstable and with some probability may decay spontaneously, turning into the nucleus of the thorium atom. In this case an alpha particle is emitted. The thorium nucleus resulting from the alpha decay of uranium-238 is also unstable and experiences beta decay. At the end of the chain of transformations, stable lead isotopes are produced. Since the daughter nuclei can arise in an excited state, the decay of uranium 238 is accompanied by gamma rays. That is, the so-called “depleted uranium” is a radioactive substance consisting of uranium isotope with mass number 238.
And now for the most important reason why depleted uranium contamination leads to a dramatic increase in cancer rates, and a dramatic increase in mortality. Alpha radiation itself is in fact almost harmless, it doesn’t get through a piece of paper. But that’s when it’s outside. However, when used, the projectile core is destroyed, creating huge amounts of radioactive dust. And if such a dust particle gets inside and lingers, cancer is guaranteed.
Alpha-particles (helium atomic nuclei) have an enormous mass according to the microcosm and escape from the uranium-238 nucleus at a speed of about 10 thousand kilometers per second. The alpha particles produce irreversible changes in the nearby tissues of the body.
And then, when they settle on the ground, they will continue to enter the bodies of those living on this territory with dust raised by the wind and with foodstuffs grown on this territory. And U238 has a half-life of 4.5 billion years. Of course it is not correct to say that the territory will be contaminated for 9 billion years (and more, since “half-life” means half of the activity, then after 4.5 billion years again half etc.), the particles will be gradually washed down by water currents and dispersed, and the territory will become safe much faster, but for 20-50 years at least, it will not be safe to live there where these shells were used. And one can forget about export of agricultural products from those territories. On the contrary, the products will have to be imported there to reduce the level of contamination of those who will stay there.
Such contamination in the form of alpha-radioactive dust is actually the most dangerous kind of radiation.
This is the kind “joy” that the good Anglo-Saxons brought to Ukraine. And the “conscious” (“half-wits” is another word for them) are happy about it. This despite the fact that the level of contamination and the danger of living on the territories where it will be used will be much higher and will last much longer than during the use of nuclear weapons, because the amount of fissile material in nuclear weapons is smaller, and a significant part of it burns out during the explosion. In thermonuclear warheads, there is very little fissile material at all, since it is used exclusively to “ignite” the thermonuclear reaction.
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