Physics: The Radium Element

Since this element is a rock, it occurs naturally. Polish chemist Marie Curie and her husband Pierre Curie found elemental radium in 1898. They found it from the asphalt uranium mine. Pitchblende is a mineral containing elemental uranium oxide as a main component. After noticing that asphalt uranium is more radioactive than uranium, the asphalt mixture is then separated from uranium. Mary believes that it is necessary to mix asphalt to make a small amount of radium. The amount of radium contained in 1 ton of uranium is only 0.14 grams.

In 1898, the two most famous pioneers of radioactivity, Mary and Pierre Curie, found elemental radium. As Mary said, radium is particularly attractive as it shines in the dark. "These flashes pause in the dark and seem to evoke our new emotions and appeal" (Moore). Soon, radium started. After observing that radium can treat cancer, many people mistakenly believe it can be used to treat other diseases as well. Soon, radium is widely regarded as a "miraculous" substance that sells various diseases at the pharmacy. Radium is widely believed to be able to prevent aging, and the company also sells radium toothpaste, radium cosmetics, and even radium water.

It is now known that radioactivity is actually synonymous with death. However, in the early 20th century, the newly discovered chemical element radium appeared to have a modern future, and America was crazy about it. In her new book, "Radium Girl: Brilliant Female of American Dark Woman", Kate Moore tells the story of a young woman fascinated by Radium's work in the 1910s and 1920s. Very early - due to fatal substances

Early in the 20th century, radium was everywhere. Understanding the dangerous effects of today's radium exposure is difficult to understand as a miraculous element. Please refer to this radium-based product list (see "How to use radium in nine ways before understanding risk"). Let's go back to the last item on the list, clock and dial, radium girl. Those working at Radium Luminous Materials Corporation in Newark, New Jersey will use the radium pigment to outline the dial. I would like to investigate the adverse effects of radium exposure, but do you know what you did not know at that time?