Diagram illustrating the basic principle behind electromagnetic isotopic separation, esp. in the case of uranium enrichment. Here the heavy isotope of uranium (U-238) is represented in light blue, while the lighter isotope of uranium (U-235) is represented in dark blue. When the beam of natural uranium (a mixture of mostly U-238 and some U-235) passes through a strong magnetic field (the two magnet poles are shown here) it curves around back towards the source. The resulting stream of uranium will have somewhat higher concentrations of U-235 on the outer end of it (the effect has been exaggerated here for conceptual simplicity).

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