Depleted uranium ammunition is not used in small arms, it's is only used in weapons that are used against armored targets. The standard issue ammunition is full metal jacketed ball lead. It's lead covered with a thin layer of copper. The depleted uranium is used in weapons systems like the 20mm Vulcan cannon on fighters or attack jets, or the Phalanx close in weapon support system. The reason for using depleted uranium is because it's density. Due to the density of depleted uranium it is capable of defeating most common steel armor on armored vehicles. The radiation levels are so low that it would take thousands of tons of the ammunition before it would become a hazard to health. You get more radiation from an X-ray in a hospital than u do from DU rounds.
2007-01-21 15:16:19
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answer #1
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answered by GIOSTORMUSN 5
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Depleted uranium is uranium had has had the most active isotopes removed. As a result it has a very low level of radiation and in fact is safe enough to handle with your bare hands. (This is because the remaining radiation is Alpha radiation - the weakest form that cannot even penetrate your skin.)
A good rule of thumb in evaluating the radiation danger of a material is to look at its half-life. The shorter the half-life more intense (and dangerous) the radiation. If the half-life is a million years or more then the radiation hazard is getting to the point where you the chemical properties of the material are the most significant health hazard.
For example - uranium is toxic to humans in the same amounts as the metal lead. And long before any person could get enough uranium for the radiation to become a health concern - their kidneys would have failed from heavy-metal toxicity.
2007-01-21 03:55:23
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answer #2
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answered by MikeGolf 7
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while you're relatively worried approximately depleted uranium, do certainly no longer get an X-ray. i replaced into an kit professional on the A-10 for 5 years. My forte replaced into the gun, you recognize, the single that spits out all that DU. FYI DU is amazingly dense, like some human beings i understand. it relatively is purpose is to penetrate heavily armored automobiles or troop positions. it is not, I repeat, no longer dangerously radioactive. i'm healthful, have 4 healthful young little ones, no horns, i've got not grown from now on limbs and my testicles have not fallen off. I recommend you detect a source with some degree accuracy.
2016-10-31 22:03:23
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answer #3
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answered by hinch 4
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No it's not. It is uranium that has a reduced proportion of the isotope Uranium-235 but it is still uranium.
You can read a good description on Wikipedia for which I have provided a link below.
2007-01-21 03:17:46
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answer #4
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answered by Abaris 3
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How would depleted uranium completely depleted of uranium? That doesn't even make sense.
2007-01-21 03:35:30
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answer #5
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answered by Anonymous
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No its not. Here's a short video talking about depleted uranium and some examples of its insidious destructive nature. And the Bush administration still wants us to believe that they care about the unborn! I hope you have a strong stomach.
http://www.ericblumrich.com/swf/silentscream.swf
2007-01-21 03:25:51
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answer #6
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answered by Third Uncle 5
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If you want to see what Bushes war is really about, check
out Bilbo O'Liely's link. This is the stuff Bush doesn't want
you see.
I warn you, it's disturbing, but everyone should see the truth.
2007-01-21 15:50:51
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answer #7
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answered by Anonymous
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No, uranium will stay deadly for 1000s of years , that's why they use it over their,to keep on killing after we leave.make them sick,I don't know why. one little tiny particle gets in your lungs and you get cancer..That has puzzled me as to exactly why they do this.over their.
I thought it was so evil when the Russians dropped toys for children to pick up in Afghanistan that would blow up. leaving them dead or losing a limb, and were just as bad or worst, that's evil, true honest to God evil to do that to those people. we killed 600.000 of them and now we wont to kill even more>why in Gods name why? I don't get it.
Pray for the troops.
They need it bady, there breathing that stuff in, which will kill them also, thats murder you know .MURDER.
Pray for Peace.
were going to have a war of civilizations soon enough though
and it wont matter to them that when they drop nukes over there that we will get some of it drifting in the wind to Americas States.
then later nukes going off in our citys.in revenge.
Its all a kind of madness what there doing over there..
2007-01-21 03:12:38
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answer #8
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answered by Anonymous
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YES it is mostly
2007-01-21 03:12:44
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answer #9
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answered by bob b 3
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completely undepleted
2007-01-21 03:09:40
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answer #10
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answered by Anonymous
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