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uranium trioxide

Very Low
UK/jʊˈreɪ.ni.əm traɪˈɒk.saɪd/US/jʊˈreɪ.ni.əm traɪˈɑːk.saɪd/

Scientific/Technical

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Definition

Meaning

A chemical compound with the formula UO₃, one of the oxide forms of uranium.

A radioactive, often yellow-orange powder used in nuclear fuel processing and as a precursor for other uranium compounds.

Linguistics

Semantic Notes

Always used as a singular noun phrase. Refers specifically to UO₃, not other uranium oxides like U₃O₈.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

No significant lexical differences; standard spelling and usage are identical in both varieties.

Connotations

Identical technical connotations in scientific contexts.

Frequency

Extremely rare outside of nuclear chemistry, materials science, and related technical fields in both regions.

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong
synthesise uranium trioxideproduce uranium trioxideuranium trioxide powdercrystalline uranium trioxide
medium
formation of uranium trioxidereact to form uranium trioxidepure uranium trioxide
weak
yellow uranium trioxidehandle uranium trioxidesample of uranium trioxide

Grammar

Valency Patterns

N of NP: the trioxide of uranium

Vocabulary

Synonyms

Strong

uranium(VI) oxide

Neutral

UO₃

Weak

uranyl oxide

Vocabulary

Antonyms

uranium dioxide

Usage

Context Usage

Academic

Common in chemistry and nuclear engineering research papers discussing uranium compound synthesis.

Everyday

Virtually never used.

Technical

Central term in nuclear fuel cycle descriptions, ceramic fuel production, and uranium chemistry.

Examples

By Part of Speech

verb

British English

  • The uranyl compound thermally decomposes to uranium trioxide.

American English

  • Heating the precursor will yield uranium trioxide.

adjective

British English

  • The uranium-trioxide sample was analysed by XRD.

American English

  • Uranium-trioxide production requires careful temperature control.

Examples

By CEFR Level

B2
  • Uranium trioxide is a yellow powder used in nuclear technology.
C1
  • The thermal decomposition of uranyl peroxide yields highly pure uranium trioxide, a crucial step in nuclear fuel fabrication.

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

URANium has THREE Oxygen atoms = TriOXIDE.

Conceptual Metaphor

CHEMICAL COMPOUND IS A BUILDING BLOCK.

Watch out

Common Pitfalls

Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)

  • Do not translate as 'трёхокись урана' in modern scientific Russian; the standard term is 'оксид урана(VI)' (uranium(VI) oxide).

Common Mistakes

  • Confusing it with uranium dioxide (UO₂) or uranyl compounds like uranyl nitrate.
  • Using 'trioxide' as a standalone noun without 'uranium' (e.g., 'the trioxide was heated').

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap
In the nuclear fuel cycle, is often produced as an intermediate compound.
Multiple Choice

What is the chemical formula for uranium trioxide?

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

No, it is a synthetic compound produced in laboratories or industrial processes.

Yes, like most uranium compounds, it is radioactive due to its uranium content.

It is typically a yellow to orange-yellow powder.

It is primarily used as a precursor in the production of other uranium compounds, including nuclear fuel.