Uranium commonly forms U4+ U6+ in introductory ionic compounds.
| Element | Uranium |
|---|---|
| Symbol | U |
| Atomic number | 92 |
| Common ionic charge | +4, +6 |
| Common ions | U4+, U6+ |
Images are used as visual references; charge rules still depend on the compound.
Uranium is [Rn]5f3 6d1 7s2, with six removable electrons and f orbitals finally low enough to join bonding. The +6 state wraps itself in two oxygens to form linear O=U=O (uranyl) — an actinide signature with no lanthanide parallel — while +4 suits the solid-state oxide. States +3 and +5 exist but disproportionate or oxidize readily.
This is a classroom reference range, not an exhaustive list of all oxidation states.
Reading 'depleted uranium' as chemically different uranium. Depleted, natural, and enriched uranium are isotope grades — the chemistry (U4+, uranyl 6+, and the rest) is identical in each. Enrichment sorts nuclei; charge chemistry never notices.
UO2 2+: two O at -4, overall +2, so U = +6. U3O8 is mixed-valence: one U4+ plus two U6+ (4+12 = 16 = eight O2-) — the ore-processing intermediate holds both major states in one lattice.
Uranium chloride
U4+ balances chloride ions.
Uranium oxide
Uranium can form oxides where total positive and negative charge balances.
The uranyl ion's O=U=O unit fluoresces green when excited — dinnerware's 'vaseline glass' contains trace U6+ doing exactly what it does in a chemist's fluorimeter. The radioactivity is negligible; the photochemistry is vivid.
They pump oxygenated carbonate water underground to oxidize immobile U4+ ore into soluble uranyl-carbonate complexes (U6+), then pump the solution out. The entire industry rides that one charge flip — +4 stays put, +6 travels.
For natural and depleted uranium, chemical kidney toxicity (uranyl binding in renal tubules) dominates over its modest radioactivity. Highly enriched material shifts the ledger nuclear. Both ledgers, one element.
Combine positive and negative ions so the total charge is zero — or let the ionic compound calculator do the crossing for you. The full chart lives on the periodic table with charges.
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