Marie Curie and the Discovery of Radium By Audrey Hunt 2005

Young Life Marie Curie was born in 1867 in Poland as Maria Sklodowska. Maria loved school.

Pierre Curie In 1895, Maria married a French scientist named Pierre Curie. She changed her name to its French version, Marie.

Family Marie Curie’s daughter Irene was born in Her second daughter, Eve, was born in 1904.

Family cont. Marie’s daughter Irene won a Nobel Prize, making Marie the first Nobel prizewinner whose daughter was also a prizewinner.

X-Rays X-Rays were recently discovered. Marie broke down the x-rays and found uranium. She studied the uranium and found a lot of it in pitchblende.

Discovery of Radium that radium was giving off the glow coming from the uranium. Marie discovered

Radium Melting point: 1,292 degrees F Boiling point: 2,084 degrees F

Radium Alpha, beta, and gamma rays are produced in decay of radium.

Radium The alpha rays produced by radium can’t penetrate the skin, but beta rays can. Gamma rays can penetrate the whole body.

Radium It used to be used in luminous paints and on watch dials, but has been replaced with cobalt-60.

Where Radium is Found in Nature There are low levels of radium in the air, water, and food.

War Duty In WWI, Marie convinced the government to put x-ray machines in vans to help soldiers.

Effects of Radium Radium causes types of cancer, but the Curies didn’t know radium was dangerous.

Exposure to Radium The Curies were exposed to radium on a daily basis. Their lab chair and notebooks are still radioactive.

Nobel Prizes In 1903, Marie shared a Nobel Prize for Physics. In 1911, she earned a Nobel Prize for Chemistry.

Awards Marie was the first Polish person to win a Nobel Prize and the first person to win two Nobel Prizes.

Awards cont. Throughout her life, Marie Curie received 15 gold medals and 19 degrees.

How Radium is Used Radium is used in making atomic bombs. It can also be used to cure some types of cancer.

Death Marie died in 1934 from leukemia. Her death was thought to be caused by radium.

Bibliography 1. “Radium” Wikipedia. 27 April May 2005 < 2. “Marie Curie.” Women in Physics Herstory Women in Physics. 27 April 2005.

Bibliography 3. Parker, Steve. Marie Curie and Radium. Chelsea House Publishers. New York Gagnon, Steve. “Radium.” Jefferson Lab. May

About Me My name is Audrey Hunt. I like field hockey, volleyball, and riding. These are pictures of other things I like.