what is the purpose of depleted uranium shells?

Question

are they kinetic energy rounds? just curious

Answer 1

Yes, they are essentially kinetic energy rounds. A quick glance at your periodic table of elements will show you that Uranium is quite heavy. DU rounds are far heavier than typical ordinance and have far greater penetrating power. Note that thier momentum and kinetic energy are the same as for a conventional round fired from the same gun (increased mass is made up for by thier decreased velocity), however, when you run the conservation of momentum equations for the bullet impacting a target, the DU round fares slightly better.

Also, DU is an environmental hazard, not becuse it may be radioactive (it isn't), but because it is naturally toxic and deletrious for the human body, and it readily forms uranium salts when it comes into contact with the air. Most DU materials are coated with a layer of steel to prevent this.

Answer 2

Uranium is heavier and harder than lead (which is commonly used in civilian rounds). This increased density means that you can get more kinetic force into a round without increasing the size. The fact that it is harder means that it will peirce things more easily without deforming.

This adds up to a moderately effective armour peircing round (and a very effective multiple-people-piercing round)

Incidentally it is produced as a byproduct of making enriched uranium for reactors, so after a fashion the army is legally dumping nuclear waste in other peoples countries!

Some people seem to be confusing these rifle rounds with HEAT rounds, which are tank/artillery shells with shaped charges that inject molten metal through armour plate. DU shells are just very very hard'n'heavy bullets.

Answer 3

The depleted Uranium shells are denser than normal metal so make great Armour piercing rounds.

Answer 4

the density of depleted uranium is high enough to punch through most armor systems these days. Upon penetration the round slags and fires molten metal throughout the inner compartments of the target vehicle rendering it inoperable and whatever poor bastards inside it toast...

Answer 5

Uranium is extremely dense. That makes it very good for penetrating armor.

Answer 6

They are for armor piercing. When they put a hole in an enemy tank, shrapnel is inserted into the crew compartment and it makes hamburger out of the tank crew.

Answer 7

they are harder than Chinese arithmetic....