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Marie Curie's birth name was Maria Salomea Skłodowska, and she was born in Warsaw, which was part of the Russian Empire at the time.
Answer: True
Marie Curie's full birth name was Maria Salomea Skłodowska, and she was born in Warsaw on 7 November 1867, when it was part of Congress Poland within the Russian Empire. Her family's patriotic involvement in Polish national uprisings led to significant losses, impacting her early life.
In her early years, Marie Skłodowska attended a gymnasium for girls and the clandestine Flying University in Warsaw, as regular higher education was not accessible to women.
Answer: True
Marie Skłodowska attended a gymnasium for girls and the clandestine Flying University in Warsaw, a patriotic institution that admitted women, because formal higher education was denied to women at that time.
Marie Curie's family gained significant wealth and property due to their involvement in Polish national uprisings.
Answer: False
Marie Curie's family actually lost their property and fortunes due to their patriotic involvement in Polish national uprisings, which aimed to restore Poland's independence.
Marie Curie's father, a history teacher, provided her with early practical scientific training by bringing laboratory equipment home.
Answer: False
Marie Curie's father, Władysław Skłodowski, was a teacher of mathematics and physics, not history. He did provide her with early practical scientific training at home after laboratory instruction was removed from Polish schools.
Marie Curie experienced the deaths of her oldest sibling from typhus and her mother from tuberculosis during her childhood.
Answer: True
During her childhood, Marie Curie's oldest sibling, Zofia, died of typhus, and her mother, Bronisława, died of tuberculosis when Marie was ten years old.
Maria Skłodowska agreed to financially support her sister Bronisława's medical studies in Paris, with Bronisława returning the favor two years later for Maria's education.
Answer: True
Maria Skłodowska and her sister Bronisława made an agreement where Maria would financially assist Bronisława's medical studies in Paris, and Bronisława would reciprocate by supporting Maria's education two years later.
Marie Curie's first scientific work in Paris involved investigating the properties of radioactive minerals.
Answer: False
Marie Curie's first scientific work in Paris focused on investigating the magnetic properties of various steels, commissioned by the Society for the Encouragement of National Industry.
Marie Skłodowska met Pierre Curie through a mutual friend who knew of her need for larger laboratory space.
Answer: True
Marie Skłodowska met Pierre Curie in 1894 through Polish physicist Józef Wierusz-Kowalski, who introduced them after learning of Marie's need for a larger laboratory space.
Marie initially declined Pierre Curie's marriage proposal because she was already engaged to someone else.
Answer: False
Marie initially declined Pierre Curie's marriage proposal because she intended to return to her native Poland, not because she was engaged to someone else.
Marie Curie was denied a place at Kraków University due to her lack of academic qualifications, which led her to pursue her PhD in Paris.
Answer: False
Marie Curie was denied a place at Kraków University due to sexism in academia, not a lack of academic qualifications, which ultimately led her back to Paris for her PhD.
The 'Flying University' was a formal, state-sponsored institution that provided higher education to women in Poland.
Answer: False
The 'Flying University' was a clandestine, patriotic institution that admitted women because formal higher education was denied to them, not a formal, state-sponsored one.
Marie Curie's practical scientific training in Warsaw was conducted in a chemistry laboratory run by her cousin, Józef Boguski, who had been an assistant to Dmitri Mendeleyev.
Answer: True
Marie Curie received practical scientific training in a chemistry laboratory in Warsaw run by her cousin, Józef Boguski, who had previously assisted Dmitri Mendeleyev.
What was Marie Curie's full birth name?
Answer: Maria Salomea Skłodowska
Marie Curie's full birth name was Maria Salomea Skłodowska.
In what city and country was Marie Curie born?
Answer: Warsaw, Congress Poland
Marie Curie was born on 7 November 1867, in Warsaw, which was then part of Congress Poland within the Russian Empire.
Which clandestine institution did Marie Skłodowska attend in Warsaw because regular higher education was inaccessible to women?
Answer: The Flying University
Marie Skłodowska attended the clandestine Flying University in Warsaw, a patriotic institution that admitted women, as formal higher education was denied to women at the time.
What was the profession of Marie Curie's father, Władysław Skłodowski?
Answer: A mathematician and physicist
Marie Curie's father, Władysław Skłodowski, taught mathematics and physics, subjects that Marie would later pursue.
What personal tragedy did Marie Curie experience at the age of ten?
Answer: Her mother died of tuberculosis.
When Marie Curie was ten years old, her mother, Bronisława, died of tuberculosis, following the earlier death of her oldest sibling from typhus.
What was the initial agreement between Maria Skłodowska and her sister Bronisława regarding higher education?
Answer: Maria would fund Bronisława's studies, and Bronisława would reciprocate later.
Maria Skłodowska agreed to financially support her sister Bronisława's medical studies in Paris, with Bronisława committing to provide similar assistance for Maria's education two years later.
What was Marie Curie's first scientific research in Paris focused on?
Answer: The magnetic properties of various steels
Marie Curie's initial scientific work in Paris involved investigating the magnetic properties of various steels, a project commissioned by the Society for the Encouragement of National Industry.
Who introduced Marie Skłodowska to Pierre Curie in 1894?
Answer: Józef Wierusz-Kowalski
Marie Skłodowska met Pierre Curie in 1894 through Polish physicist Józef Wierusz-Kowalski, who knew of her need for larger laboratory space.
Why did Marie initially decline Pierre Curie's marriage proposal?
Answer: She planned to return to Poland.
Marie initially declined Pierre Curie's marriage proposal because she was still planning to return to her native Poland.
What was the primary reason Marie Curie was denied a place at Kraków University?
Answer: Sexism in academia.
Marie Curie was denied a place at Kraków University due to pervasive sexism in academia, which prevented women from pursuing scientific careers there.
Marie Curie's primary scientific contributions were in the fields of biology and astronomy, leading to the discovery of new celestial bodies.
Answer: False
Marie Curie's primary scientific contributions were in physics and chemistry, specifically pioneering research on radioactivity, leading to the discovery of elements like polonium and radium, not celestial bodies.
Wilhelm Röntgen's discovery of X-rays and Henri Becquerel's discovery of uranium rays in the mid-1890s significantly influenced Marie Curie's doctoral research.
Answer: True
The discoveries of X-rays by Wilhelm Röntgen in 1895 and uranium rays by Henri Becquerel in 1896 profoundly influenced Marie Curie's decision to investigate uranium rays for her doctoral thesis.
Marie Curie used a spectrometer to measure the electric charge caused by uranium rays, allowing her to quantify radioactive substances.
Answer: False
Marie Curie utilized an electrometer, a device developed by her husband and his brother, to measure the electric charge caused by uranium rays and quantify radioactive substances, not a spectrometer.
Marie Curie's groundbreaking hypothesis was that radiation from uranium compounds originated from molecular interactions rather than the atom itself.
Answer: False
Marie Curie's groundbreaking hypothesis was precisely the opposite: that radiation from uranium compounds originated directly from the atom itself, challenging the notion of indivisible atoms.
The Curies conducted their initial research on new elements in a well-equipped, purpose-built laboratory provided by ESPCI.
Answer: False
The Curies conducted their initial research in a poorly ventilated, non-waterproof converted shed next to ESPCI, which lacked proper laboratory facilities, and they were unaware of the radiation dangers.
Marie Curie's study of pitchblende and torbernite showed they were less active than uranium, suggesting the presence of unknown, less radioactive elements.
Answer: False
Marie Curie's study of pitchblende and torbernite showed they were *more* active than uranium, leading her to hypothesize the presence of unknown, *more* radioactive elements.
Marie Curie named the element 'polonium' to honor her native country, Poland, hoping to draw international attention to its lack of independence.
Answer: True
Marie Curie named polonium in honor of her native country, Poland, which was partitioned at the time, with the intention of drawing international attention to its struggle for independence.
The Curies named their second discovered element 'radium' because it was found in the city of Radom.
Answer: False
The Curies named their second discovered element 'radium' from the Latin word for 'ray,' reflecting its property of emitting radiation, not after a city.
Isolating pure radium was a straightforward process for the Curies, as it was chemically distinct from other elements in pitchblende.
Answer: False
Isolating pure radium was an arduous process for the Curies due to its chemical similarity to barium, which is also present in pitchblende, making differential crystallization challenging.
The Curies discovered that radium could destroy diseased, tumor-forming cells faster than healthy cells, laying groundwork for radiation therapy.
Answer: True
Between 1898 and 1902, the Curies published findings demonstrating that radium could destroy diseased, tumor-forming cells more rapidly than healthy cells, thereby establishing early principles for radiation therapy.
Marie Curie's doctoral thesis was titled *Recherches sur les substances radioactives* and was awarded in 1903.
Answer: True
Marie Curie's doctoral thesis, titled *Recherches sur les substances radioactives* (Research on Radioactive Substances), was indeed awarded by the University of Paris in June 1903.
Marie Curie successfully isolated polonium in pure form, which was a significant challenge due to its long half-life.
Answer: False
Marie Curie never succeeded in isolating polonium in pure form, primarily due to its relatively short half-life of only 138 days, making its isolation in appreciable quantities exceedingly challenging.
Which two elements are Marie Curie most notably credited with discovering?
Answer: Polonium and Radium
Marie Curie's most notable discoveries include the elements polonium and radium, which she identified through her pioneering research on radioactivity.
What term did Marie Curie coin in her research?
Answer: Radioactivity
Marie Curie is credited with coining the scientific term 'radioactivity' to describe the phenomenon she was investigating.
Which two scientific discoveries in 1895 and 1896 significantly influenced Marie Curie's research direction for her doctoral thesis?
Answer: Discovery of X-rays and uranium rays
Wilhelm Röntgen's discovery of X-rays in 1895 and Henri Becquerel's discovery of uranium rays in 1896 profoundly influenced Marie Curie's doctoral research.
What innovative device did Marie Curie use to quantify the activity of radioactive substances?
Answer: An electrometer
Marie Curie utilized an electrometer, a sensitive device for measuring electric charge, to quantify the activity of radioactive substances by measuring the electricity conducted by air around the sample.
What groundbreaking hypothesis did Marie Curie propose about the origin of radiation from uranium compounds?
Answer: It originated directly from the atom itself.
Marie Curie hypothesized that the radiation emitted by uranium compounds originated directly from the atom itself, challenging the long-held belief in atomic indivisibility.
What were the working conditions like for the Curies during their initial research on new elements?
Answer: A converted shed that was poorly ventilated and not waterproof
The Curies conducted their initial research in a converted shed next to ESPCI, which was poorly ventilated, not waterproof, and lacked proper laboratory facilities, exposing them to dangerous radiation.
Which two uranium minerals did Marie Curie systematically study, leading her to conclude they contained a substance more active than uranium?
Answer: Pitchblende and Torbernite
Marie Curie systematically studied pitchblende and torbernite, finding them significantly more active than uranium, which suggested the presence of unknown, more radioactive elements.
Why did Marie Curie name the first chemical element she discovered 'polonium'?
Answer: In honor of her native country, Poland.
Marie Curie named the element 'polonium' in honor of her native country, Poland, hoping to draw international attention to its lack of independence at the time.
From what was the name 'radium' derived?
Answer: The Latin word for 'ray'
The name 'radium' was derived from the Latin word for 'ray,' reflecting the element's property of emitting radiation.
What arduous process did the Curies use to isolate radium salt from pitchblende?
Answer: Differential crystallization
The Curies used the arduous process of differential crystallization to separate radium salt from pitchblende, a challenging task due to radium's chemical similarity to barium.
What significant medical application did the Curies discover between 1898 and 1902 regarding radium?
Answer: Its ability to destroy diseased, tumor-forming cells.
Between 1898 and 1902, the Curies discovered that radium could destroy diseased, tumor-forming cells faster than healthy cells, laying early groundwork for radiation therapy.
Who was Marie Curie's doctoral advisor at the University of Paris?
Answer: Gabriel Lippmann
Marie Curie's doctoral advisor at the University of Paris was Gabriel Lippmann, under whom she was awarded her doctorate in June 1903.
Marie Curie was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize and the only person to win Nobel Prizes in two different scientific fields.
Answer: True
Marie Curie holds the unique distinctions of being the first woman to win a Nobel Prize and the only person to win Nobel Prizes in two distinct scientific fields (Physics and Chemistry).
Marie Curie's marriage to Pierre Curie resulted in them being the first married couple to win a Nobel Prize, contributing to a family legacy of five Nobel Prizes.
Answer: True
Marie and Pierre Curie were indeed the first married couple to receive a Nobel Prize (1903 Nobel Prize in Physics), initiating a family legacy that would eventually encompass five Nobel Prizes across generations.
Marie Curie became the first woman faculty member at the École normale supérieure de jeunes filles in 1900.
Answer: True
In 1900, Marie Curie achieved the significant milestone of becoming the first woman faculty member at the École normale supérieure de jeunes filles, marking a breakthrough for women in academia.
The Curies initially declined to receive their 1903 Nobel Prize in Physics in person due to their busy work schedule and Pierre's dislike for public ceremonies and illness.
Answer: True
The Curies initially declined to attend the 1903 Nobel Prize ceremony in Stockholm, citing their demanding work schedule, Pierre's aversion to public events, and his declining health.
After the Nobel Prize, the University of Paris immediately provided the Curies with a state-of-the-art laboratory.
Answer: False
Despite the Nobel Prize, the University of Paris did not immediately provide a state-of-the-art laboratory; they only committed to furnishing one by 1906 after Pierre's persistent complaints, and their initial research was conducted in a converted shed.
Pierre Curie died in a laboratory accident involving radiation exposure.
Answer: False
Pierre Curie died in a Paris street accident in 1906 when he was struck by a horse-drawn vehicle, not in a laboratory accident involving radiation exposure.
Marie Curie's attempted election to the French Academy of Sciences in 1911 was successful, marking another triumph over academic sexism.
Answer: False
Marie Curie's attempted election to the French Academy of Sciences in 1911 was unsuccessful, influenced by public xenophobia and false speculation, rather than a triumph over academic sexism.
Marie Curie became the first woman professor at the University of Paris in 1906, a significant achievement for women in academia.
Answer: True
Marie Curie became the first woman professor at the University of Paris in 1906, a groundbreaking achievement that significantly advanced the position of women in academic science.
The Nobel committee initially intended to honor only Marie Curie for the 1903 Nobel Prize in Physics, but Pierre Curie was added later.
Answer: False
The Nobel committee initially intended to honor only Pierre Curie and Henri Becquerel for the 1903 Nobel Prize in Physics; Marie's name was added only after Pierre's complaint.
What academic milestone did Marie Curie achieve in 1900?
Answer: She was appointed the first woman faculty member at the École normale supérieure de jeunes filles.
In 1900, Marie Curie became the first woman faculty member at the École normale supérieure de jeunes filles, a significant step for women in academia.
Why did the Curies initially decline to receive their 1903 Nobel Prize in Physics in person?
Answer: They were too busy with their work, and Pierre disliked public ceremonies and was ill.
The Curies initially declined to receive their 1903 Nobel Prize in Physics in person due to their demanding work schedule, Pierre's aversion to public ceremonies, and his declining health.
What was the fate of Pierre Curie?
Answer: He was killed in a Paris street accident.
Pierre Curie died tragically in 1906 when he was struck by a horse-drawn vehicle in a Paris street accident.
What was a primary factor in Marie Curie's failed election to the French Academy of Sciences in 1911?
Answer: Public xenophobia and false speculation about her ethnicity.
Marie Curie's failed election to the French Academy of Sciences in 1911 was significantly influenced by public xenophobia and false speculation, fueled by the right-wing press, regarding her foreign origin and alleged ethnicity.
What was the significance of Marie Curie becoming the first woman professor at the University of Paris in 1906?
Answer: It marked a significant step for women in academia.
Marie Curie's appointment as the first woman professor at the University of Paris in 1906 was a monumental achievement, breaking barriers and marking a significant advancement for women in academia.
What unique distinction does Marie Curie hold regarding the Nobel Prize?
Answer: She was the first person to win a Nobel Prize in two different scientific fields.
Marie Curie holds the unique distinction of being the first person to win Nobel Prizes in two different scientific fields (Physics and Chemistry).
In what year did Marie and Pierre Curie share their first Nobel Prize?
Answer: 1903
Marie and Pierre Curie shared their first Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903, recognizing their joint research on radioactivity.
During World War I, Marie Curie developed mobile radiography units known as *petites Curies* to provide X-ray services to field hospitals.
Answer: True
During World War I, Marie Curie developed and directed the installation of mobile radiography units, known as *petites Curies*, to provide essential X-ray services to field hospitals near the front lines.
Marie Curie successfully donated her gold Nobel Prize medals to the French National Bank to support the war effort during World War I.
Answer: False
Marie Curie attempted to donate her gold Nobel Prize medals to the French National Bank to support the war effort, but the bank refused them.
Marie Curie's book *Radiology in War* summarized her experiences during World War II.
Answer: False
Marie Curie's book *Radiology in War* summarized her experiences and contributions during *World War I*, not World War II.
Marie Curie toured the United States in 1921 to raise funds for radium research, receiving a gram of radium from President Warren G. Harding.
Answer: True
Marie Curie toured the United States in 1921 specifically to raise funds for radium research, during which President Warren G. Harding presented her with a gram of radium.
Marie Curie accepted the French Legion of Honour award in 1921 as a recognition of her international fame.
Answer: False
Marie Curie refused the French Legion of Honour award in 1921, consistent with her general disinterest in personal accolades and public honors.
Marie Curie served on the League of Nations' International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation alongside Albert Einstein and Henri Bergson.
Answer: True
Marie Curie became a member of the League of Nations' International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation in 1922, collaborating with prominent figures such as Albert Einstein and Henri Bergson.
The Radium Institute in Warsaw, which Marie Curie helped establish, was directed by her daughter, Irène Joliot-Curie.
Answer: False
The Radium Institute in Warsaw, which Marie Curie helped establish, was directed by her sister, Bronisława, not her daughter, Irène Joliot-Curie.
What was the purpose of the *petites Curies* developed during World War I?
Answer: To provide mobile X-ray services to field hospitals.
The *petites Curies* were mobile radiography units developed by Marie Curie during World War I to provide essential X-ray services to field hospitals near the front lines.
What book did Marie Curie write summarizing her experiences during World War I?
Answer: *Radiology in War*
Marie Curie summarized her extensive wartime experiences and contributions in her book titled *Radiology in War*, published in 1919.
What was the main goal of Marie Curie's tour of the United States in 1921?
Answer: To raise funds for radium research.
The primary goal of Marie Curie's 1921 tour of the United States was to raise funds for radium research, a critical need for her ongoing scientific work.
What was Marie Curie's response when offered the French Legion of Honour award in 1921?
Answer: She refused it, consistent with her disinterest in personal accolades.
Marie Curie refused the French Legion of Honour award in 1921, consistent with her well-documented disinterest in personal accolades and public honors.
Which international committee did Marie Curie join in 1922, collaborating with figures like Albert Einstein?
Answer: The League of Nations' International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation
In 1922, Marie Curie joined the League of Nations' International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation, where she collaborated with prominent scientists such as Albert Einstein.
Who became the director of the Radium Institute in Warsaw, which Marie Curie helped establish?
Answer: Her sister, Bronisława
Marie Curie's sister, Bronisława, became the director of the Radium Institute in Warsaw, which Marie helped establish and equip.
What was the role of Marie Curie's daughter, Irène Joliot-Curie, during World War I?
Answer: She assisted her mother in directing mobile radiological units.
During World War I, Marie Curie's 17-year-old daughter, Irène Joliot-Curie, assisted her mother in directing the installation of mobile radiological units for field hospitals.
Marie Curie died from complications related to a laboratory accident involving chemical burns at the age of 75.
Answer: False
Marie Curie died at the age of 66 from aplastic anaemia, a condition believed to have been caused by prolonged exposure to radiation, not chemical burns from a laboratory accident.
The international standard for radioactive emissions, the 'curie,' was named solely in honor of Marie Curie.
Answer: False
The international standard for radioactive emissions, the 'curie,' was named in honor of *both* Marie and Pierre Curie, although the commission did not explicitly state whether it was for one or both.
Marie Curie's scientific papers from the 1890s are still considered safe to handle without special precautions.
Answer: False
Marie Curie's scientific papers from the 1890s are considered too dangerous to handle without special precautions due to their high levels of radioactive contamination, requiring lead-lined boxes and protective clothing.
According to L. Pearce Williams, the Curies' work challenged the principle of the conservation of energy and provided sources of radioactivity for probing the atom's structure.
Answer: True
L. Pearce Williams stated that the Curies' work was 'epoch-making' because radium's radioactivity challenged the conservation of energy and provided radioactivity sources for probing atomic structure.
Marie Curie patented the radium-isolation process to ensure her family's financial security.
Answer: False
Marie Curie intentionally refrained from patenting the radium-isolation process to ensure unhindered scientific research, demonstrating her disinterest in personal financial gain from her discoveries.
The element curium and the unit of radioactivity 'curie' are named in honor of Marie and Pierre Curie.
Answer: True
The element curium (atomic number 96) and the unit of radioactivity 'curie' are both named in honor of Marie and Pierre Curie, recognizing their profound contributions to science.
Albert Einstein reportedly praised Marie Curie for her scientific brilliance but criticized her for seeking fame.
Answer: False
Albert Einstein reportedly remarked that Marie Curie was 'probably the only person who could not be corrupted by fame,' indicating praise for her integrity, not criticism for seeking fame.
Marie Curie's remains were transferred to the Paris Panthéon in 1995, making her the first woman honored there on her own merits, and were sealed in lead due to radioactivity.
Answer: True
In 1995, Marie Curie's remains were transferred to the Paris Panthéon, making her the first woman honored there on her own merits, and were sealed in lead due to their persistent radioactivity.
What was the cause of Marie Curie's death?
Answer: Aplastic anaemia
Marie Curie died from aplastic anaemia, a condition believed to have been caused by her long-term exposure to radiation.
What is believed to have contributed to Marie Curie's fatal illness?
Answer: Long-term exposure to radiation
Marie Curie's aplastic anaemia is widely attributed to her prolonged exposure to ionizing radiation during her scientific research and radiological work.
What international standard for radioactive emissions was named in honor of Marie and Pierre Curie?
Answer: The Curie
The international standard for radioactive emissions, the 'curie' (symbol Ci), was named in honor of both Marie and Pierre Curie.
Why are Marie Curie's scientific papers from the 1890s considered dangerous to handle today?
Answer: They have high levels of radioactive contamination.
Marie Curie's scientific papers from the 1890s are considered dangerous to handle today due to their significant levels of radioactive contamination, necessitating special precautions.
According to L. Pearce Williams, what was an "epoch-making" result of the Curies' work?
Answer: It challenged the principle of the conservation of energy.
According to L. Pearce Williams, the Curies' work was 'epoch-making' because radium's immense radioactivity challenged the principle of the conservation of energy, forcing a re-evaluation of physics foundations.
How did Marie Curie demonstrate her commitment to unhindered scientific research regarding the radium-isolation process?
Answer: She intentionally refrained from patenting the process.
Marie Curie demonstrated her commitment to unhindered scientific research by intentionally refraining from patenting the radium-isolation process, ensuring that the scientific community could freely use her methods.
What is the name of the element with atomic number 96, named in honor of the Curies?
Answer: Curium
The element with atomic number 96 was named curium (Cm) in honor of Marie and Pierre Curie, recognizing their profound contributions to the understanding of radioactivity.
What was Albert Einstein's reported remark about Marie Curie's character?
Answer: She was probably the only person who could not be corrupted by fame.
Albert Einstein reportedly remarked that Marie Curie was 'probably the only person who could not be corrupted by fame,' highlighting her integrity and dedication to science.