Discovery of polonium and radium

Discovery of Polonium and Radium

Radium

Findings

• Radium comes from the latin word 'radius' meaning ray.
• Radium is a radioactive metal found naturally in uranium ores.

• By the end of June 1898 they had a substance that was about 300 times more strongly active than uranium.
• "If the existence of this new metal is confirmed we suggest that it should be called polonium after the name of the country of origin of one of us."
• After another few months of work the Curie's informed many that they had demonstrated strong grounds for having come upon an additional very active substance that behaved chemically almost like pure barium. They suggested the name of radium.

Characteristics:

• Silvery-white metal
• Highly radioactive
• The metal and its compounds glow in the dark as a result of the intense radioactivity.

Conclusion

Later on...

The main points are:

Pierre Curie

Questions

Polonium

1. Do you believe that Marie and Pierre contributed to some of the cancer treatment methods we have today?

• Marie and Pierre Curie's discoveries were very useful at that time.
• Polonium was used to eliminate static electricity produced during processes such as rolling paper, wire, and sheet metal.
• Radium was used in the production of luminous paints and used medicinally to produce radon gas for cancer treatment. But now this is both hazardous and toxic.
• The discovery of radioactivity made transmutation of elements possible.

• Pierre was a known physicist that led the laboratory at the School of Industrial Physics and chemistry where engineers were trained.
• He lived for his research on crystals and magnetic properties where he discovered piezoelectricity.
• This means that a difference in electrical potential is seen when mechanical stresses are applied on certain crystals.

• Marie and Curie eventually developed feelings and got married in July 1895. Their life soon became centered around work and study.
• Marie studied the natural ores that contain uranium and thorium.
• Pierre soon joined her and they found that the strong activity came with the fractions containing bismuth or barium.
• It was necessary to separate and identify a substance whose chemical properties were unknown.

2. Why do you think that these elements are now hazardous and toxic?

• Polonium is a very rare element due to the half-life of all its isotopes. Found in uranium ores in minute qualities.
• Polonium is harmful through its chemical toxicity and its radioactivity.
• Can lead to various cancers

• Who Marie and Pierre were
• What they discovered
• How radium and polonium were discovered

3. Do you think that elements can still be found if people studied and observed as much as Marie and Pierre?

Characteristics:

• Polonium is a rare, silvery-gray, radioactive, low-melting metalloid
• Reacts with dilute acids
• Radioactive isotopes

Marie Curie

Citations

• Marie Sklodowska was born in Warsaw in 1867.
• Both her parents were teachers and her father taught her important information about physics and chemistry.
• Marie wanted to further her study but it was not possible for women in Poland. She had to wait until she was 24 where she moved to Paris and met Pierre.

• "MarieandPierreCurieandtheDiscoveryofPoloniumandRadium."Nobelprize.orgNobel Media AB 2013. Web 3. Dec 2013
• "Polonium."ChemicoolPeriodicTable.Chemicool.com 08 Oct.2012 web.
• "Radium."ChemicoolPeriodicTable.Chemicool.com .18 Oct.2012 web.

By: Michaela Mathis