Uranium combines easily with reactive agents. During a fire such agents
could be liberated into the environment of the calorimeter. The
compounds formed with hydrogen are unstable at elevated temperatures.
Thus they will not be formed in a fire. At high temperatures uranium
reacts slowly with nitrogen. Nitrogen can not be used in fire
extinguishers. Also CO is not recommended. It decomposes at high
temperatures in the presence of uranium. With water uranium behaves
rather passively [20.5.3]. Burning materials in the presence of uranium
can be quelled by water. The reaction with oxygen deserves a
detailed discussion.
