Marie Sklodowska Curie was a Polish chemist who was born on November 7, 1867, in Warsaw. Exceeding all expectations, Curie excelled in and outside of the classroom by achieving a masters degree in physics and math. Curie was also the only woman of her time to win the Nobel Peace Prize twice in chemistry and in physics. Having one of the world’s most brilliant minds, Marie Curie discovered the field of atomic physics, polonium, leading to the development of the atom bomb, and radium, which paved the way for use of radioactive isotopes in the medical field.
Moving from Poland to Paris in 1893, Curie finalized a masters degree in physics and math. Shortly after, the Society for the Encouragement of National Industry paid her to study the magnetic properties of steel, where she met her lab partner and future husband, Pierre Curie. Fascinated with the work of fellow physicist, Henri Becquerel, and the study of …show more content…
Radium was discovered in the pitchblende just like polonium. Pitchblende is a mineral, or ore like substance filled with uraninite. When Marie was able to purify the pitchblende enough to isolate a new element, she found one and called it radium. She chose the name radium because when discovered it, it gave off a great deal of radiation. The element has changed the world due to its uses in the medical field. Radium can be used to fight against different types of cancers by shrinking their cells. For example, “Doctors use radium 223 to treat prostate cancers in men that have spread to the bones. If there are cancer cells in more than one area of bone, radium 223 can work well to treat those areas and reduce pain… Radium is very similar to calcium. And like calcium active bone cells take up the radium. This makes it a good way of specifically targeting bone cancer cells.” Overall, the discovery of radium has saved lives, and helped scientists expand their knowledge in the medical
Moving from Poland to Paris in 1893, Curie finalized a masters degree in physics and math. Shortly after, the Society for the Encouragement of National Industry paid her to study the magnetic properties of steel, where she met her lab partner and future husband, Pierre Curie. Fascinated with the work of fellow physicist, Henri Becquerel, and the study of …show more content…
Radium was discovered in the pitchblende just like polonium. Pitchblende is a mineral, or ore like substance filled with uraninite. When Marie was able to purify the pitchblende enough to isolate a new element, she found one and called it radium. She chose the name radium because when discovered it, it gave off a great deal of radiation. The element has changed the world due to its uses in the medical field. Radium can be used to fight against different types of cancers by shrinking their cells. For example, “Doctors use radium 223 to treat prostate cancers in men that have spread to the bones. If there are cancer cells in more than one area of bone, radium 223 can work well to treat those areas and reduce pain… Radium is very similar to calcium. And like calcium active bone cells take up the radium. This makes it a good way of specifically targeting bone cancer cells.” Overall, the discovery of radium has saved lives, and helped scientists expand their knowledge in the medical