Curie: meaning, definitions and examples

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curie

 

[ ˈkjʊəri ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

scientific measurement

A curie is a unit of radioactivity that is defined as the quantity of radioactive material that produces 3.7 × 10^10 disintegrations per second. It is named after the physicist Marie Curie, who conducted pioneering research on radioactivity. The curie is often used in medical and nuclear contexts to describe the activity of a radioactive substance.

Synonyms

disintegration, nuclear activity, radioactivity

Examples of usage

  • The medical facility uses sources measured in curies for treatment.
  • During the experiment, the sample was found to contain 0.5 curies of radium.
  • Radiation exposure was measured in milli-curies in the report.

Translations

Translations of the word "curie" in other languages:

🇵🇹 curie

🇮🇳 क्यूरी

🇩🇪 Curie

🇮🇩 curie

🇺🇦 кюрі

🇵🇱 curie

🇯🇵 キュリー

🇫🇷 curie

🇪🇸 curie

🇹🇷 curie

🇰🇷 큐리

🇸🇦 كوري

🇨🇿 curie

🇸🇰 curie

🇨🇳 居里

🇸🇮 curie

🇮🇸 curie

🇰🇿 кюри

🇬🇪 კიურის

🇦🇿 kürie

🇲🇽 curie

Etymology

The term 'curie' was introduced in the early 20th century, derived from the last name of Pierre and Marie Curie, who were pivotal figures in the study of radioactivity. Marie Curie was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize and remains the only person to have won in two different scientific fields - Physics and Chemistry. The use of the word reflects the Curies' significant contributions to the field, as they not only discovered elements such as radium and polonium but also laid the groundwork for the scientific understanding of radioactivity. The curie as a unit was established to provide a standard measurement for radioactivity, allowing for consistency across scientific research and medical applications. By naming the unit after the Curies, the legacy of their groundbreaking work in the nuclear sciences continues to be honored.

Word Frequency Rank

This word's position of #32,872 indicates it's among the more rare English words. While understanding it broadens your vocabulary, focus on more common words first.